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The Encore's Crown
She built her following by knowing exactly how to be watched. He should have known better than to look.
Natalia Sawadzka is twenty-three and gorgeous with the world at her red-bottomed feet. The razor-tongued blonde is an expert at turning her life into content as a rising influencer. Online, she knows how to pose, tease, smile, and make thousands of strangers feel like they’ve been invited close enough to touch.
Bassist for The Riven Altar, Kiri Chhim has spent at least twenty of his thirty-six years making bad decisions look enticing. He's charm with a bassline, trouble with tattoos, and the man who used to make Natalia’s phone light up, until interference from the band's frontman, Rafe, forced Kiri to step away from her, over a year ago.
Rafe’s engagement to Kasia, Natalia’s older sister, meant that soon she'd be family. Kiri, with his easy charm and list of previous romantic casualties, was not a risk Rafe was willing to let her take.
It wasn’t a suggestion, it was a demand.
Natalia joins their Asia tour, to be there for her sister, whose life is tangled with the band, caught up in sold-out arenas, luxury hotels, and chaos. But while she’s sharing space with her almost-flame, she plans to make it as torturous as possible, using every curve and smile at her disposal.
Now Natalia is on Kiri's tour bus, at his shows, and is getting deeper under his skin. She wants answers. Kiri wants distance. Neither of them is prepared for rooftop dares, jokes that sound like seduction, jealous sparks, or the kind of attraction that turns every heated argument into foreplay.
Natalia came to Asia to be with her sister. Kiri is the tempting distraction waiting backstage.
But backstage, where the lights can’t reach, secrets are easy to hide.
Natalia Sawadzka is twenty-three and gorgeous with the world at her red-bottomed feet. The razor-tongued blonde is an expert at turning her life into content as a rising influencer. Online, she knows how to pose, tease, smile, and make thousands of strangers feel like they’ve been invited close enough to touch.
Bassist for The Riven Altar, Kiri Chhim has spent at least twenty of his thirty-six years making bad decisions look enticing. He's charm with a bassline, trouble with tattoos, and the man who used to make Natalia’s phone light up, until interference from the band's frontman, Rafe, forced Kiri to step away from her, over a year ago.
Rafe’s engagement to Kasia, Natalia’s older sister, meant that soon she'd be family. Kiri, with his easy charm and list of previous romantic casualties, was not a risk Rafe was willing to let her take.
It wasn’t a suggestion, it was a demand.
Natalia joins their Asia tour, to be there for her sister, whose life is tangled with the band, caught up in sold-out arenas, luxury hotels, and chaos. But while she’s sharing space with her almost-flame, she plans to make it as torturous as possible, using every curve and smile at her disposal.
Now Natalia is on Kiri's tour bus, at his shows, and is getting deeper under his skin. She wants answers. Kiri wants distance. Neither of them is prepared for rooftop dares, jokes that sound like seduction, jealous sparks, or the kind of attraction that turns every heated argument into foreplay.
Natalia came to Asia to be with her sister. Kiri is the tempting distraction waiting backstage.
But backstage, where the lights can’t reach, secrets are easy to hide.
Paperback
Published September 14, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
August 20, 2026
D.M. Randall books are masterpieces with how she makes an entire person come to live as then mend their story together to create an epic love story. Their relationships are so deep that you are left with no doubt that they are soul mates. So many trials and barriers they go through together to come out of it on the other side of it stronger together. Absolutely love how Natalie and Kiri learn to talk each other love language and their story is unique theirs. It has banter and is even a little cheeky and a totally different vibe from Rafe and Kasia story. It still has DM Randall magic of such lyrically and smoothly written that each chapter blends so perfectly into the next. Next thing I know it is an hour or more later, I get so sucked into this book. The change of POV between the main characters is really interestly done in parts that give you both of their sides of some moments, which added so much to the story. The characters come alive in this book for me with how you feel what the characters feel between crying with them, laughing out loud, wanting to yell with them, and complete happiness. D.M. doesn’t shy away from making the book feel real in the fact that life isn’t always rainbows and unicorns, but sometimes the most beautiful stuff comes out of life not always being perfect. A few more favorite parts of mine is the nicknames are perfect, love the playboy trying to prove he is more trope, and the off the charts tension. When the book is over 600+ and you don’t even notice, you know it is a perfection of a book!
September 1, 2026
I didn’t think it was possible, but I just became a little more obsessed with The Riven Alter boys! The Encore’s Crown is a FAB follow up that I highly recommend for any rockstar romance groupie!
Kiri is a man who floats through life on his looks, his charm, his talent, magnetism, rockstar appeal… on it all. But with that level of fame, love isn’t an option. He tried once, and it didn’t stick.
Natalia is young, beautiful, determined, stubborn, electric and hopeful. An up-and-coming social influencer that could have anyone.
But what happens when the man she sets her eyes on is not only famous, but 13 years older, a band member to her sister’s fiancé, and a playboy she should not be talking to?
Their chemistry is pure fire, but both are off limits. Nat gave Kiri the chance to crawl under her skin once, only for him to throw her away before anything could start.
When opportunity for payback comes knocking in the form of Nat joining her sister and the band for part of their Asia tour, she jumps headfirst. Now she’ll make his life hell and show him exactly what he’s missing.
Will their attraction, or possibly the chance of more be enough to let Kiri risk it all??
5 ⭐️
3 🌶️
Kiri is a man who floats through life on his looks, his charm, his talent, magnetism, rockstar appeal… on it all. But with that level of fame, love isn’t an option. He tried once, and it didn’t stick.
Natalia is young, beautiful, determined, stubborn, electric and hopeful. An up-and-coming social influencer that could have anyone.
But what happens when the man she sets her eyes on is not only famous, but 13 years older, a band member to her sister’s fiancé, and a playboy she should not be talking to?
Their chemistry is pure fire, but both are off limits. Nat gave Kiri the chance to crawl under her skin once, only for him to throw her away before anything could start.
When opportunity for payback comes knocking in the form of Nat joining her sister and the band for part of their Asia tour, she jumps headfirst. Now she’ll make his life hell and show him exactly what he’s missing.
Will their attraction, or possibly the chance of more be enough to let Kiri risk it all??
5 ⭐️
3 🌶️
August 21, 2026
ARC REVIEW
D.M.!!!!! You are seriously such an amazing author I cannot even put it into words. Your stories pull me in and literally throw me into your worlds. I feel everything like I’m right there with them. The laughter. The tears. The grief. The heartbreak. Reading one of your books is like riding a roller coaster and I love every single second.
Nat is still reeling from the events at the end of The Riven Alter. Trying to navigate her grief and her want for a man who keeps pushing her away. And Kiri….holy hot damn Kiri!!! I wanted to throttle him a few times but damn did he make me weak in the knees!! Everything he has overcome in his life to get where he is. Ughhhhh *chefs kiss*
The last 25% left me gutted (in a good way) but also brought me to tears at the realness and rawness in a particular part. Then for everything to come together in the end like it did. UGHHHHHH I need more of Nat and Kiri. Can they have a book 2 please????
I cannot wait to see where book 3 takes us!!❤️❤️❤️
D.M.!!!!! You are seriously such an amazing author I cannot even put it into words. Your stories pull me in and literally throw me into your worlds. I feel everything like I’m right there with them. The laughter. The tears. The grief. The heartbreak. Reading one of your books is like riding a roller coaster and I love every single second.
Nat is still reeling from the events at the end of The Riven Alter. Trying to navigate her grief and her want for a man who keeps pushing her away. And Kiri….holy hot damn Kiri!!! I wanted to throttle him a few times but damn did he make me weak in the knees!! Everything he has overcome in his life to get where he is. Ughhhhh *chefs kiss*
The last 25% left me gutted (in a good way) but also brought me to tears at the realness and rawness in a particular part. Then for everything to come together in the end like it did. UGHHHHHH I need more of Nat and Kiri. Can they have a book 2 please????
I cannot wait to see where book 3 takes us!!❤️❤️❤️
September 14, 2026
What do you mean Kiri belongs to Nat. He is obviously mine 🙄
DM Randall did it again. Wrote a page turner that I could not tear my attention away from. It had moments of pure unadulterated spice, MCs being sweet and tender. The banter was absolute perfection. At times you could feel Nat and Kiri's inner turmoil, their joy, their devastation and heartbreak. There is nothing I would change about this book, other than add more spice 🥵. No notes, no crumbs left.
1 🌟
In all seriousness, The Encore's Crown was such an amazing book to experience. Just as with her debut, The Riven Altar, I was completely enchanted by the characters she creates and the story she weaves. In book 2 of The Mark of Pothos series the emotions are running higher. The chemistry is on fire. Echoes of the past refuse to stay silent and hidden.
At times I wanted to ring Kiri's neck. He can be so clueless and completely out if his depth when it comes to relationships in general. Natalia is a firecracker, bada** through and through. Starting off the very definition of a woman scorned. I thought I loved Rafe and Kasia, but then we get a closer look at Kiri and Nat. The 2 of them resonate so loudly with me.
And Rithy, oh my god Rithy. I wanted to throat punch him so badly in book 1. In book 2 he had me cackling. Then you pair him up with Nat, and the two of them are dang near unstoppable. We get a much better look at the guys in the band and their little family unit, which is absolutely fantastic since we are getitng books for each member of the band.
The Riven Altar walked so that The Encore's Crown could soar. My sincerest thanks to DM for allowing me to be a part of your ARC and Street team. It has been an absolute blast.
DM Randall did it again. Wrote a page turner that I could not tear my attention away from. It had moments of pure unadulterated spice, MCs being sweet and tender. The banter was absolute perfection. At times you could feel Nat and Kiri's inner turmoil, their joy, their devastation and heartbreak. There is nothing I would change about this book, other than add more spice 🥵. No notes, no crumbs left.
1 🌟
In all seriousness, The Encore's Crown was such an amazing book to experience. Just as with her debut, The Riven Altar, I was completely enchanted by the characters she creates and the story she weaves. In book 2 of The Mark of Pothos series the emotions are running higher. The chemistry is on fire. Echoes of the past refuse to stay silent and hidden.
At times I wanted to ring Kiri's neck. He can be so clueless and completely out if his depth when it comes to relationships in general. Natalia is a firecracker, bada** through and through. Starting off the very definition of a woman scorned. I thought I loved Rafe and Kasia, but then we get a closer look at Kiri and Nat. The 2 of them resonate so loudly with me.
And Rithy, oh my god Rithy. I wanted to throat punch him so badly in book 1. In book 2 he had me cackling. Then you pair him up with Nat, and the two of them are dang near unstoppable. We get a much better look at the guys in the band and their little family unit, which is absolutely fantastic since we are getitng books for each member of the band.
The Riven Altar walked so that The Encore's Crown could soar. My sincerest thanks to DM for allowing me to be a part of your ARC and Street team. It has been an absolute blast.
September 14, 2026
What to say?! It’s almost like I have no words and too many words for this book. After reading The Riven Altar earlier this year, it became one of my favorite reads. This is the second book and to say I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement. I can’t really compare it to The Riven Altar because they are totally different but both are absolutely 2 of my favorite reads this year.
Natalia and Kiri completely stole my heart. Their chemistry, banter, tension and all the emotions had me so invested in their story. I laughed, I swooned and definitely cried. Watching them work through everything standing between them was so heartfelt. Kiri especially stole my heart and I just wanted more of these two by the end.
D.M. Randall definitely has a way with words. Her writing is beautiful, poetic and lyrical. She also has a way of creating characters that give you all the feels.
Obviously a five star read and i recommend reading the Riven Altar first since both stories are intertwined.
Natalia and Kiri completely stole my heart. Their chemistry, banter, tension and all the emotions had me so invested in their story. I laughed, I swooned and definitely cried. Watching them work through everything standing between them was so heartfelt. Kiri especially stole my heart and I just wanted more of these two by the end.
D.M. Randall definitely has a way with words. Her writing is beautiful, poetic and lyrical. She also has a way of creating characters that give you all the feels.
Obviously a five star read and i recommend reading the Riven Altar first since both stories are intertwined.
August 30, 2026
ARC Book Review
I loved the book, fun and edgy. First rock star romance for me. I enjoy how D.M. Randall takes two characters POV to create a love story. It was a slow start for me and I was a little thrown off by a previous lovers back story at first but once it got going I didn’t want to put it down!
I loved the book, fun and edgy. First rock star romance for me. I enjoy how D.M. Randall takes two characters POV to create a love story. It was a slow start for me and I was a little thrown off by a previous lovers back story at first but once it got going I didn’t want to put it down!
September 26, 2026
ARC Review:
If you need me, I’ll just be lying here, completely paralyzed by emotions 🙉
As Natalia so iconically tells Kiri at one point in the book: “I can’t feel my legs.” And given his smug little grin in response, he definitely considered that a glowing review. A 10/10. Well, consider this my official "I-Can't-Feel-My-Legs" review, because this book absolutely leveled me. I read this masterpiece in one sitting and literally could not put it down.
The way D.M.Randall writes is an actual hazard to your emotional well-being. She pulls you so deeply into the story that you lose all sense of time. You’ll be reading, completely caught up in the storm of it all, and suddenly you touch down to earth only to realise your heart is literally aching. You find yourself wondering, “Wait, how long has my chest been hurting like this?” and then an hour of reading flies by, and you realize it’s still hurting.
Just like in Book I, the narrative is built with stunning, intricate layers. The author masterfully weaves complex themes together: the vulnerability of digital connection before the characters even meet, the exhausting weight of pretending vs. being honest, and the transactional nature of beauty, armor, and profitability. But what elevates this sequel to a whole new level is how it plays with mythology, brilliantly continuing Book I's ancient echoes by casting Kiri and Natalia as a modern-day Dionysus and Ariadne.
Kiri has always been the designated "player". The ultimate god of revelry, excess, and stage-lit chaos. But beneath that hedonistic armour is a man who thinks he was "born damaged beyond repair," hiding an intense, protective devotion to his brother, Rithy, and his mother. Enter Natalia, his Ariadne. She is an influencer who treats life like a labyrinth of public perception, expertly weaponizing her softness and making even her grief "useful" to survive. She is emotionally marooned by loss, feeling ugly and permanently broken on the inside.
But their growth is where the book completely shatters you. Because Kiri understands the cost of performance ("the stage made my armor profitable and her camera does the same for her"). And he is the only one who can offer Natalia a true sanctuary. He doesn't need her thread or her usefulness. He looks at her and tells her, "You can just be here." In return, Natalia is the only one who looks past the player facade to ask Kiri what he wants, pulling him out of his self-imposed darkness.
It is a breathtaking, painful journey of two fiercely guarded people learning to put down their weapons. They finally stop performing, stop trying to earn their right to exist, and gracefully collapse into the terrifying beauty of accepting unconditional love.
So do yourself a favour: bypass the filter, and buy this book immediately. Trust me, it is worth every single second of the ache. Kiri can keep his smug little grin; he absolutely earned it 🖤
If you need me, I’ll just be lying here, completely paralyzed by emotions 🙉
As Natalia so iconically tells Kiri at one point in the book: “I can’t feel my legs.” And given his smug little grin in response, he definitely considered that a glowing review. A 10/10. Well, consider this my official "I-Can't-Feel-My-Legs" review, because this book absolutely leveled me. I read this masterpiece in one sitting and literally could not put it down.
The way D.M.Randall writes is an actual hazard to your emotional well-being. She pulls you so deeply into the story that you lose all sense of time. You’ll be reading, completely caught up in the storm of it all, and suddenly you touch down to earth only to realise your heart is literally aching. You find yourself wondering, “Wait, how long has my chest been hurting like this?” and then an hour of reading flies by, and you realize it’s still hurting.
Just like in Book I, the narrative is built with stunning, intricate layers. The author masterfully weaves complex themes together: the vulnerability of digital connection before the characters even meet, the exhausting weight of pretending vs. being honest, and the transactional nature of beauty, armor, and profitability. But what elevates this sequel to a whole new level is how it plays with mythology, brilliantly continuing Book I's ancient echoes by casting Kiri and Natalia as a modern-day Dionysus and Ariadne.
Kiri has always been the designated "player". The ultimate god of revelry, excess, and stage-lit chaos. But beneath that hedonistic armour is a man who thinks he was "born damaged beyond repair," hiding an intense, protective devotion to his brother, Rithy, and his mother. Enter Natalia, his Ariadne. She is an influencer who treats life like a labyrinth of public perception, expertly weaponizing her softness and making even her grief "useful" to survive. She is emotionally marooned by loss, feeling ugly and permanently broken on the inside.
But their growth is where the book completely shatters you. Because Kiri understands the cost of performance ("the stage made my armor profitable and her camera does the same for her"). And he is the only one who can offer Natalia a true sanctuary. He doesn't need her thread or her usefulness. He looks at her and tells her, "You can just be here." In return, Natalia is the only one who looks past the player facade to ask Kiri what he wants, pulling him out of his self-imposed darkness.
It is a breathtaking, painful journey of two fiercely guarded people learning to put down their weapons. They finally stop performing, stop trying to earn their right to exist, and gracefully collapse into the terrifying beauty of accepting unconditional love.
So do yourself a favour: bypass the filter, and buy this book immediately. Trust me, it is worth every single second of the ache. Kiri can keep his smug little grin; he absolutely earned it 🖤
September 22, 2026
I love music, and I have a soft spot for broken men. So center a book around a bassist who needs extra attention and an influencer who knows what she wants and I am in it to win it!
Natalia and Kiri definitely had a thing going. He's in a rock band and always on the road, so their relationship was strictly online... Until it wasn't. After a year of cold engagement on socials, Natalia has to see him face to face and she tries so hard to show him what he's missing. Instead they are like magnets and fall for each other as soon as they can get their hands on each other.
Kiri did piss me off A LOT, but the author does a good job going in and out of past experiences and I think that's my favorite part about the writing. I enjoyed the story, but I can't explain why exactly I was so enthralled other than just really good, seamless writing. We'll forgive Kiri and celebrate him and Natalia for finally accepting their relationship. Hallelujah!
Natalia and Kiri definitely had a thing going. He's in a rock band and always on the road, so their relationship was strictly online... Until it wasn't. After a year of cold engagement on socials, Natalia has to see him face to face and she tries so hard to show him what he's missing. Instead they are like magnets and fall for each other as soon as they can get their hands on each other.
Kiri did piss me off A LOT, but the author does a good job going in and out of past experiences and I think that's my favorite part about the writing. I enjoyed the story, but I can't explain why exactly I was so enthralled other than just really good, seamless writing. We'll forgive Kiri and celebrate him and Natalia for finally accepting their relationship. Hallelujah!
September 14, 2026
ARC REVIEW~
F*CK I LOVE THE NICKNAMES!
I was sooooo looking forward to this after the riven alter and it did NOT disappoint. D.M RANDALL is a goddess with her writing and hit me in all the feels. Did I cry? Sh*t yes i did and the ending had my heart feeling so damn full! This family keeps on growing and I AM HERE FOR IT, and im already DYINGGGGG for book 3!
If you havnt read this one of the first book I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! If I could rate this higher than 5 stars I would!
F*CK I LOVE THE NICKNAMES!
I was sooooo looking forward to this after the riven alter and it did NOT disappoint. D.M RANDALL is a goddess with her writing and hit me in all the feels. Did I cry? Sh*t yes i did and the ending had my heart feeling so damn full! This family keeps on growing and I AM HERE FOR IT, and im already DYINGGGGG for book 3!
If you havnt read this one of the first book I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! If I could rate this higher than 5 stars I would!
September 14, 2026
There’s something undeniably magnetic about Kiri and Natalia. They have that spark that feels dangerous from the moment it hits. Their connection is fast, overwhelming, and tangled up in every possible complication. The age gap, the band dynamics, the fact that Rafe (Kiri’s bandmate) is dating Kasia, Natalia’s older sister… it all creates this pressure cooker where every emotion feels amplified.
The Riven Altar world is loud and unstable in a way that fits the story: rehearsals, touring, backstage tension, and the constant presence of Rafe, Rithy, and Ronan circling around the main relationship. Add in the OM/OW drama, and it becomes a full storm of bad timing, bad decisions, and very real feelings.
I found myself pulled in by the emotional intensity, even when it becomes redundant. The book doesn’t shy away from the messy parts like jealousy, insecurity, the weight of wanting someone you shouldn’t. It’s angsty in a way that feels intentional and unfiltered.
But ultimately, it landed just outside what I personally enjoy. I can respect the emotional chaos and the way the story leans into its own volatility, but it wasn’t quite the experience I look for.
Good, just not for me, though readers who crave explosive chemistry and full tilt drama will absolutely sink into this one.
A huge thank you to D.M. Randall for the early copy!
The Riven Altar world is loud and unstable in a way that fits the story: rehearsals, touring, backstage tension, and the constant presence of Rafe, Rithy, and Ronan circling around the main relationship. Add in the OM/OW drama, and it becomes a full storm of bad timing, bad decisions, and very real feelings.
I found myself pulled in by the emotional intensity, even when it becomes redundant. The book doesn’t shy away from the messy parts like jealousy, insecurity, the weight of wanting someone you shouldn’t. It’s angsty in a way that feels intentional and unfiltered.
But ultimately, it landed just outside what I personally enjoy. I can respect the emotional chaos and the way the story leans into its own volatility, but it wasn’t quite the experience I look for.
Good, just not for me, though readers who crave explosive chemistry and full tilt drama will absolutely sink into this one.
A huge thank you to D.M. Randall for the early copy!
August 30, 2026
ARC Review!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
WOOOWWW. Ok, wow. This book blew me away.
I had entered a period of telling myself I wasn’t going to apply for any more ARCs this year but I saw some character art on Facebook and that it was a rockstar romance and was like “well sign me up!” and I am SO glad that I did. I went in completely blind and had not read book one first (series of interconnected standalones) and MAN I wish I had. I will admit it took me a little bit to get into this book, and it was probably because I hadn’t read book one and was starting fresh with this world and it’s characters and I was trying to figure out which characters I liked and which ones maybe not so much and pick up what I could about their backstories leading up to this book. But once I hit a certain point in the book, I was SAT, and I was all in and invested in Kiri and Natalia.
There was so much depth to the characters, so much growth throughout the book and plot twists I never saw coming that added so many layers to the story. It was angsty and full of tension and longing and DRAMA, which is exactly what I want from a rockstar romance. The slow burn was delicious, the spice was 👩🍳💋 I honestly don’t think there’s a single thing I didn’t love about this book.
I will absolutely be going back to read book one (The Riven Alter) when I have time and I cannot WAIT for the next book. I think D.M. Randall just because an auto read author for me.
What to expect when reading:
💋 Rockstar Romance
🎵 Forced Proximity
💋 Age Gap
🎵 Second Chance
💋 Forbidden Love
🎵 Slow Burn 🔥
💋 Angst & Yearning
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
WOOOWWW. Ok, wow. This book blew me away.
I had entered a period of telling myself I wasn’t going to apply for any more ARCs this year but I saw some character art on Facebook and that it was a rockstar romance and was like “well sign me up!” and I am SO glad that I did. I went in completely blind and had not read book one first (series of interconnected standalones) and MAN I wish I had. I will admit it took me a little bit to get into this book, and it was probably because I hadn’t read book one and was starting fresh with this world and it’s characters and I was trying to figure out which characters I liked and which ones maybe not so much and pick up what I could about their backstories leading up to this book. But once I hit a certain point in the book, I was SAT, and I was all in and invested in Kiri and Natalia.
There was so much depth to the characters, so much growth throughout the book and plot twists I never saw coming that added so many layers to the story. It was angsty and full of tension and longing and DRAMA, which is exactly what I want from a rockstar romance. The slow burn was delicious, the spice was 👩🍳💋 I honestly don’t think there’s a single thing I didn’t love about this book.
I will absolutely be going back to read book one (The Riven Alter) when I have time and I cannot WAIT for the next book. I think D.M. Randall just because an auto read author for me.
What to expect when reading:
💋 Rockstar Romance
🎵 Forced Proximity
💋 Age Gap
🎵 Second Chance
💋 Forbidden Love
🎵 Slow Burn 🔥
💋 Angst & Yearning
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC READ 🥰
I lovvvved Riven Altar so not suprised that I also loved Encores Crown!!
I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the way the story slowly pulled me into its world. There was plenty of tension, emotion and intrigue throughout, and I loved watching the characters and their relationships develop as everything unfolded. What I wouldn’t give to find myself a rockstar 🥹
There were a few moments where the pacing didn’t quite hit for me and I found myself wanting things to move along a little faster, which is what kept it from being a full five stars. But overall, I had a really good time with this one and definitely wanted to see how everything would come together!!
A solid four-star read and one I’d recommend to readers who love getting completely wrapped up in a story with plenty of drama, tension and an immersive world⭐️
I lovvvved Riven Altar so not suprised that I also loved Encores Crown!!
I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the way the story slowly pulled me into its world. There was plenty of tension, emotion and intrigue throughout, and I loved watching the characters and their relationships develop as everything unfolded. What I wouldn’t give to find myself a rockstar 🥹
There were a few moments where the pacing didn’t quite hit for me and I found myself wanting things to move along a little faster, which is what kept it from being a full five stars. But overall, I had a really good time with this one and definitely wanted to see how everything would come together!!
A solid four-star read and one I’d recommend to readers who love getting completely wrapped up in a story with plenty of drama, tension and an immersive world⭐️
September 20, 2026
Holy shit, this book was amazing. Once again, D.M. Randall left me wanting more and more. I seriously did not want this story to end.
This book follows Natalia, Kasia’s little sister, and Kiri, the bassist for The Riven Altar. Their story is a forbidden romance between a social media influencer and a rockstar, and I ate it up. Kasia invites Natalia to join the band on their week-long tour through Asia, which puts Natalia and Kiri together again after they had a brief texting situation about a year earlier. They both started falling for each other back then, but things happened in book one, The Riven Altar. You’ll have to read that one to find out exactly what went down!
Let’s just say the Asia tour takes a WILD turn.
This book put me through so many emotions. Yes, I cried. Yes, I was pissed off for a good portion of it. And yes, there were some moments when I wanted to yell at these characters through my Kindle. But there are very good reasons for all of it.
One of my favorite parts was watching Natalia and Kiri learn how to speak each other’s love language. Their relationship felt completely unique to them. There’s plenty of banter, some cheeky moments, and a totally different vibe from Rafe and Kasia’s story. I loved that their romance didn’t feel like a repeat of the first book.
I also loved getting multiple POVs. Being inside both Natalia and Kiri’s heads made the story fly by and helped me connect with them so much more. Getting to understand what both of them were thinking and feeling is always one of my favorite parts of a romance.
These characters seriously came alive for me. I cried with them, laughed out loud with them, wanted to yell at them, and felt genuinely happy for them. When a book can make me feel that many emotions, I know I’m invested.
Natalia and Kiri absolutely put me through it, and I loved every second of their story.
This book follows Natalia, Kasia’s little sister, and Kiri, the bassist for The Riven Altar. Their story is a forbidden romance between a social media influencer and a rockstar, and I ate it up. Kasia invites Natalia to join the band on their week-long tour through Asia, which puts Natalia and Kiri together again after they had a brief texting situation about a year earlier. They both started falling for each other back then, but things happened in book one, The Riven Altar. You’ll have to read that one to find out exactly what went down!
Let’s just say the Asia tour takes a WILD turn.
This book put me through so many emotions. Yes, I cried. Yes, I was pissed off for a good portion of it. And yes, there were some moments when I wanted to yell at these characters through my Kindle. But there are very good reasons for all of it.
One of my favorite parts was watching Natalia and Kiri learn how to speak each other’s love language. Their relationship felt completely unique to them. There’s plenty of banter, some cheeky moments, and a totally different vibe from Rafe and Kasia’s story. I loved that their romance didn’t feel like a repeat of the first book.
I also loved getting multiple POVs. Being inside both Natalia and Kiri’s heads made the story fly by and helped me connect with them so much more. Getting to understand what both of them were thinking and feeling is always one of my favorite parts of a romance.
These characters seriously came alive for me. I cried with them, laughed out loud with them, wanted to yell at them, and felt genuinely happy for them. When a book can make me feel that many emotions, I know I’m invested.
Natalia and Kiri absolutely put me through it, and I loved every second of their story.
September 21, 2026
If I could rate this higher I would.
With The Riven Altar being one of my favorite reads earlier this year, I knew I wasn’t going to be disappointed with this one.
Stepping back into the world of The Riven Altar, The Encore’s Crown was literally everything for me. First off, I tend to love bass players in general and Kiri…I loved his small moments in the first book and ahhhh I just adored him so much in this one. Then you get Nat who is this badass little firecracker (sister to Kasia) that will have you evil giggling early on while she plots out driving Kiri mad. Two super headstrong characters that KNOW they’re hot and won’t back down on trying to get what they want? What could go wrong?
That being said don’t let the giggles and hotness fool you, the real magic touch is the emotional depth and heavy moments. Nat has to work on some personal healing of her own that makes you just want to give her the biggest hug, and Kiri has a past that chooses to resurface that forces him to make some tough decisions and face his troubles too. I was at the edge of my seat hollering and crying several times and found myself relating to Kiri in more ways than one and it just made me love him so much more.
I ate this book up. This series is some of the most beautiful writing I’ve ever read and at this point will read anything from this author. DM Randall truly is a wizard. Buckle up because you definitely don’t want to miss out on this hot feisty female and soft muscle daddy.
With The Riven Altar being one of my favorite reads earlier this year, I knew I wasn’t going to be disappointed with this one.
Stepping back into the world of The Riven Altar, The Encore’s Crown was literally everything for me. First off, I tend to love bass players in general and Kiri…I loved his small moments in the first book and ahhhh I just adored him so much in this one. Then you get Nat who is this badass little firecracker (sister to Kasia) that will have you evil giggling early on while she plots out driving Kiri mad. Two super headstrong characters that KNOW they’re hot and won’t back down on trying to get what they want? What could go wrong?
That being said don’t let the giggles and hotness fool you, the real magic touch is the emotional depth and heavy moments. Nat has to work on some personal healing of her own that makes you just want to give her the biggest hug, and Kiri has a past that chooses to resurface that forces him to make some tough decisions and face his troubles too. I was at the edge of my seat hollering and crying several times and found myself relating to Kiri in more ways than one and it just made me love him so much more.
I ate this book up. This series is some of the most beautiful writing I’ve ever read and at this point will read anything from this author. DM Randall truly is a wizard. Buckle up because you definitely don’t want to miss out on this hot feisty female and soft muscle daddy.
September 22, 2026
Shhh!! My favorite show is back on!!
That’s exactly how I felt reading this book, this was so highly anticipated for me and did not let me down one bit!!
In this book we follow Natalia and Kiri’s story! And what an intense and at times heartbreakingly beautiful story it was!
We did have our other beloved characters pop up throughout the book and I just love following along this band’s journey. The ability for the author to contextualize the way a heart feels in words is amazing. The way matters of the heart and love was written, love is just a beautiful messy, and complicated thing and not every love story is going to be cookie cutter! It was also an age gap that never felt like a painfully annoying age gap trope and I was loving that! I
This book hit me again exactly like the last.. once I got to 70%, it felt like torture having to put it down!! These characters live and breathe off the page.. the way their slowly weaves into your DNA as you get father along is amazing. This book was another thiccum.. coming in at around 640 pages.. but it never at any point felt long to me! I honestly would read 1200 pages of this haha 😆 .. it’s like a show I would stay up all night binge watching! If you want a rockstar romance that shows real, complicated and at time messy people and not all sunshine and rainbows but ends on a high note this is going to be for you!
🎸Queue the scene from Wayne’s World when they meet Alice Cooper and start bowing down saying we’re not worthy! Because that’s how I feel reading these books because this author without her even knowing understands my heart so good and finds the words in my brain that I can’t get out about how I feel about things. And I love feeling seen in a book!
That’s exactly how I felt reading this book, this was so highly anticipated for me and did not let me down one bit!!
In this book we follow Natalia and Kiri’s story! And what an intense and at times heartbreakingly beautiful story it was!
We did have our other beloved characters pop up throughout the book and I just love following along this band’s journey. The ability for the author to contextualize the way a heart feels in words is amazing. The way matters of the heart and love was written, love is just a beautiful messy, and complicated thing and not every love story is going to be cookie cutter! It was also an age gap that never felt like a painfully annoying age gap trope and I was loving that! I
This book hit me again exactly like the last.. once I got to 70%, it felt like torture having to put it down!! These characters live and breathe off the page.. the way their slowly weaves into your DNA as you get father along is amazing. This book was another thiccum.. coming in at around 640 pages.. but it never at any point felt long to me! I honestly would read 1200 pages of this haha 😆 .. it’s like a show I would stay up all night binge watching! If you want a rockstar romance that shows real, complicated and at time messy people and not all sunshine and rainbows but ends on a high note this is going to be for you!
🎸Queue the scene from Wayne’s World when they meet Alice Cooper and start bowing down saying we’re not worthy! Because that’s how I feel reading these books because this author without her even knowing understands my heart so good and finds the words in my brain that I can’t get out about how I feel about things. And I love feeling seen in a book!
Review of advance copy received from Author
5⭐️
After the absolute masterpiece that The Riven Altar was, I dove into The Encores Crown with the same hopes and I wasn’t let down in the slightest, this series just keeps getting better and better!
I absolute loved how this book picks right up where book 1 left off, full of grief, loss, hope and new love! Once again DM has written characters so full of depth and emotion, that it feels so real!
Watching Kiri and Nat go through the ups and downs of learning about love, self worth, acceptance and once again grief was so breathtaking and raw! The chemistry that they have right from the get go is top tier. Their banter and flirting was just as fierce as their fighting and don’t get me started with the spice, it was written with pure magic I swear! It had me giggling, kicking my feet and longing for a 6’4 tatted bassist of my own! 🥵
Along with all the rainbows and ruined penthouse surfaces comes some heartbreaking family trauma that had me once again sobbing like a baby! It was heavy, complex and deep like an old wound ripped open again and again! While it hurt to read, it gave so much insight into Kiri and Rithy and the men they turned out to be!
“If she asks for me, I’ll come. If she lets me, I’ll hold her. And if she doesn’t? I’ll stay right here and let it hurt.”
This series is turning out to be one of my absolute favourites. It will make you laugh, cry, yell and blush. It’s filled with yearning, learning and tremendous character growth from not only main characters but side ones too and it’s all sealed with a nice glossy coat of lip gloss!!
Again thank you DM for the absolute privileged of reading yet another masterpiece early!
After the absolute masterpiece that The Riven Altar was, I dove into The Encores Crown with the same hopes and I wasn’t let down in the slightest, this series just keeps getting better and better!
I absolute loved how this book picks right up where book 1 left off, full of grief, loss, hope and new love! Once again DM has written characters so full of depth and emotion, that it feels so real!
Watching Kiri and Nat go through the ups and downs of learning about love, self worth, acceptance and once again grief was so breathtaking and raw! The chemistry that they have right from the get go is top tier. Their banter and flirting was just as fierce as their fighting and don’t get me started with the spice, it was written with pure magic I swear! It had me giggling, kicking my feet and longing for a 6’4 tatted bassist of my own! 🥵
Along with all the rainbows and ruined penthouse surfaces comes some heartbreaking family trauma that had me once again sobbing like a baby! It was heavy, complex and deep like an old wound ripped open again and again! While it hurt to read, it gave so much insight into Kiri and Rithy and the men they turned out to be!
“If she asks for me, I’ll come. If she lets me, I’ll hold her. And if she doesn’t? I’ll stay right here and let it hurt.”
This series is turning out to be one of my absolute favourites. It will make you laugh, cry, yell and blush. It’s filled with yearning, learning and tremendous character growth from not only main characters but side ones too and it’s all sealed with a nice glossy coat of lip gloss!!
Again thank you DM for the absolute privileged of reading yet another masterpiece early!
September 15, 2026
The EMOTIONAL DAMAGE this book put me through. I really thought The Riven Altar was going to be impossible to beat, and then this book came along and said, “hold my drink.” And THAT LAST CHAPTER?! My heart was somewhere in my throat, my butt, and the floor all at once.
The fact that I sucked this book down in less than a week speaks volumes, because she's THICK! But I was so invested in the characters. The way the author writes just pulls you in and makes you feel every heartbreak, every little bit of hope, and every messy emotion right alongside them.
I am a sucker for a dual POV, and seeing deep into Kiri and Nat's souls.. literally. I freaking love these two so much!! You just want them to work regardless of the age gap, the heartbreak, the differences...everything standing in between them....and once they give in, the chemistry is off the dang charts!!
You can read this as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading book one first so you can experience Kasia and Rafe’s story too. Both books are emotionally raw in completely different ways, and I am officially attached to this entire crew.
And as a concert loving girlie, the fact that these characters are in a band? YUP… I would 100% be in the crowd screaming my head off for them. They’re all so different, and now I NEED a story for every single one of them!
I came for the rockstar romance, and the amazing author who wrote it...and stayed for the emotional destruction. 5 Stars all the way!
The fact that I sucked this book down in less than a week speaks volumes, because she's THICK! But I was so invested in the characters. The way the author writes just pulls you in and makes you feel every heartbreak, every little bit of hope, and every messy emotion right alongside them.
I am a sucker for a dual POV, and seeing deep into Kiri and Nat's souls.. literally. I freaking love these two so much!! You just want them to work regardless of the age gap, the heartbreak, the differences...everything standing in between them....and once they give in, the chemistry is off the dang charts!!
You can read this as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading book one first so you can experience Kasia and Rafe’s story too. Both books are emotionally raw in completely different ways, and I am officially attached to this entire crew.
And as a concert loving girlie, the fact that these characters are in a band? YUP… I would 100% be in the crowd screaming my head off for them. They’re all so different, and now I NEED a story for every single one of them!
I came for the rockstar romance, and the amazing author who wrote it...and stayed for the emotional destruction. 5 Stars all the way!
September 28, 2026
This book is not what I expected. It’s more! You have to pick it up, because my brain knows it’s absolutely beautiful, but my hands and mouth are having a difficult time articulating why.
DM Randall takes us along the start of Kiri (Bomos) and Natalia’s relationship. What starts as likes and small comments on line evolve to messages and late night calls. What Kiri doesn’t know is that they have built emotional intimacy during months, and after his band brother tells him to stop this relationship, he decides to ghost Natalia. Fast forward a year, Natalia is still hurt and is on the war path after being invited to travel with the band.
Did I tell you already this book is beautiful? It’s about to family love (blood and found) even when we could have difficult relationships. It’s about forgiving oneself for past mistakes, knowing you’re enough and finding your own worth apart from the people you love. It’s a brilliant love letter to sibling’s love. It’s about finding sweetness in our life and hanging on to it. It’s about letting the people who love us surround and support us. This book contains one of the most beautiful scenes I’ve ever read…it transported me to a bubble of truth surrounded by color and movement, when you get to it you’ll know.
I have no more notes. Thank you DM for gifting me a copy and letting me read this gem early.
DM Randall takes us along the start of Kiri (Bomos) and Natalia’s relationship. What starts as likes and small comments on line evolve to messages and late night calls. What Kiri doesn’t know is that they have built emotional intimacy during months, and after his band brother tells him to stop this relationship, he decides to ghost Natalia. Fast forward a year, Natalia is still hurt and is on the war path after being invited to travel with the band.
Did I tell you already this book is beautiful? It’s about to family love (blood and found) even when we could have difficult relationships. It’s about forgiving oneself for past mistakes, knowing you’re enough and finding your own worth apart from the people you love. It’s a brilliant love letter to sibling’s love. It’s about finding sweetness in our life and hanging on to it. It’s about letting the people who love us surround and support us. This book contains one of the most beautiful scenes I’ve ever read…it transported me to a bubble of truth surrounded by color and movement, when you get to it you’ll know.
I have no more notes. Thank you DM for gifting me a copy and letting me read this gem early.
September 14, 2026
I really enjoyed this. I fell in love instantly with The Riven Altar and D.M Randall’s writing style when I read it just before the sequel, so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it once I finished the first one.
The world Randall has built is so beautiful and well thought out that I feel so immersed in it while it’s being described. Her prose is so gorgeous and poetic that I aspire to be this good at writing. I highlighted so many things while I read and I don’t do that super often. I am blown away.
The only thing I came up against was the length. I usually like my romances just a tad shorter. As this was an ARC read, I only had a certain amount of time, and I really wanted to read the first book before this one (which was just as long I think. Also highly recommend!) So it just took a lot of time to get through since I’m a bit of a slow reader and like to savor the few books I’m able to read with my eyes, rather than my ears. But enjoyed almost every minute of it every time I picked it up.
Each main character has deep backstory that makes them interesting and exciting to follow. Natalia’s starts some in the first book and we get to learn SO much about Kiri.
I loved Kasia and Rafe, but I think I’m even more of a sucker for Kiri and Nat.
I can’t wait for the next installment 🥰
September 14, 2026
I read The Riven Altar first and so for me The Encores Crown is a sequel. Riven was mind-altering (!!!!!) and while Natalia and Kiri were awsome regular characters, they didn’t really strike me as deep, or that a book central to them could carry a weight similar to Riven. I was thinking a cute and fun chaser.
Shame on me. Because that was the lense of book 1, and book 2 was all about breaking down protective walls of/for those who were meant to help carry/lesson the pain, and spinning everyone else’s outside interpretation of yourself. Everyone else can assume whatever they want so long as “your” person knows you.
The character growth in the MMC was unmatched, and the way that growth was slowly and realistically uncovered and TRULY earned. No shortcuts. And along those lines, while “tropes” are helpful for categorization , I find DM Randall has put SO much detail and planning into to the plot and how everything unfolds, knowing the tropes does not in ANY way giveaway the direction this book is going to take you. I mean TAKE YOU, because you’re just being pulled along in the current, that is the only way to explain the talent that DM Randall has for writing.
Her characters and real and genuine and I cannot recommend her or her series enough!
Shame on me. Because that was the lense of book 1, and book 2 was all about breaking down protective walls of/for those who were meant to help carry/lesson the pain, and spinning everyone else’s outside interpretation of yourself. Everyone else can assume whatever they want so long as “your” person knows you.
The character growth in the MMC was unmatched, and the way that growth was slowly and realistically uncovered and TRULY earned. No shortcuts. And along those lines, while “tropes” are helpful for categorization , I find DM Randall has put SO much detail and planning into to the plot and how everything unfolds, knowing the tropes does not in ANY way giveaway the direction this book is going to take you. I mean TAKE YOU, because you’re just being pulled along in the current, that is the only way to explain the talent that DM Randall has for writing.
Her characters and real and genuine and I cannot recommend her or her series enough!
September 25, 2026
Thank you for D.M. for letting me ready this ARC but then I had problems with my kindle and well, lets just say I have finally read it and finished it!
Reading this was like being a fly on the wall and just watching two people try to convince each other that they're not attracted to each other. Since this is in the Third person POV we see it as if we're a camera crew following them all.
Honestly this was a roller coaster of emotions. They're hot one second and cold the next and hot again. The whiplash is real and you feel it. Not just from one characters POV but both.
I honestly had fun. I laughed (I think Rithy and Ronan are my favourites), got emotional, got angry (ugh Nat) and cycled through those emotions again
There's a part somewhere between 60-70% of the way through the book that pissed me off. Like girl, Nat, I understand why you did it but you also made it easier for it to happen again to someone else.
We also see how Kiri's upbringing affects his choices/life/self and honestly, that hurt and hit a little closer to home.
But both Nat and Kiri are stubborn and honestly perfect for each other
If you've read book 1 and loved the characters then you'll love them in this one and the teaser for book 3!
Reading this was like being a fly on the wall and just watching two people try to convince each other that they're not attracted to each other. Since this is in the Third person POV we see it as if we're a camera crew following them all.
Honestly this was a roller coaster of emotions. They're hot one second and cold the next and hot again. The whiplash is real and you feel it. Not just from one characters POV but both.
I honestly had fun. I laughed (I think Rithy and Ronan are my favourites), got emotional, got angry (ugh Nat) and cycled through those emotions again
There's a part somewhere between 60-70% of the way through the book that pissed me off. Like girl, Nat, I understand why you did it but you also made it easier for it to happen again to someone else.
We also see how Kiri's upbringing affects his choices/life/self and honestly, that hurt and hit a little closer to home.
But both Nat and Kiri are stubborn and honestly perfect for each other
If you've read book 1 and loved the characters then you'll love them in this one and the teaser for book 3!
September 20, 2026
Goodness. Gracious.
DM, you're an absolute mastermind at telling the most heartbreaking yet gorgeous love stories. What I've learned from this and The Riven Altar (book 1) is that things get worse before they get better. Grief, stress, fear, and the everyday struggles of life and identity are only as strong as you let them be. Watching these characters overcome so that they can love each other and be happy warms my heart through and through.
And then there's Rithy. I loved to hate him in the first book and in this book, he was the emotional pillar for me. I haven't related to a character so much in ages. He wasn't even the main character but his presence was too important to miss in Kiri and Nat's relationship. A comfort character for life, I will love him (and all of these characters) forever. Genuinely, I wish they were real. *sobs*
I'm so excited for the next book, my heart literally leaps whenever I think about it. Hurry up lol. My favorite romance author to ever live.
1000/10
DM, you're an absolute mastermind at telling the most heartbreaking yet gorgeous love stories. What I've learned from this and The Riven Altar (book 1) is that things get worse before they get better. Grief, stress, fear, and the everyday struggles of life and identity are only as strong as you let them be. Watching these characters overcome so that they can love each other and be happy warms my heart through and through.
And then there's Rithy. I loved to hate him in the first book and in this book, he was the emotional pillar for me. I haven't related to a character so much in ages. He wasn't even the main character but his presence was too important to miss in Kiri and Nat's relationship. A comfort character for life, I will love him (and all of these characters) forever. Genuinely, I wish they were real. *sobs*
I'm so excited for the next book, my heart literally leaps whenever I think about it. Hurry up lol. My favorite romance author to ever live.
1000/10
September 11, 2026
Actually 6⭐️!!! At it again with the absolute emotional, and I mean EMOTIONAL rollercoaster. The characters, the relationships, the buildup and falling of every scenario and situation is written so well that it makes my heart skip constantly. Kiri was delectable, Nat was so confident and so hot, and them together was like the ultimate powerhouse of spice and love. We also love a man with a filthy mouth and a perfect pet name. So good, please read it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (YES. Six.)
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes/Notables: Dual POV, rockstar romance, age gap, forbidden/secret relationship, hurt/comfort, forced proximity, mental health rep, found family, touch her and die, cinnamon roll MMC, feisty FMC, influencer/bassist
Quotes:
"Underneath it, something quieter rests. A whole year without him, looming. A year of learning to walk around grief without stepping on its tail."
"I don't move this time. I stay where I am, bass still warm against my body, surrounded by the only structure that's ever held, my brothers, my family, the band."
"Whatever...broken pieces of me still work, I press them together in that moment, and give them all to her."
"Then (she) turns her head. Suddenly, I understand how religions are started. One person saw something impossible staring back at them and dropped to their knees. That was her."
"Don't be nice. It makes me itchy."
"I met someone who makes the future feel less like a threat. Sure, it's messy, but when isn't life a little messy? Messy things are fun, sometimes."
Review:
I am SO grateful to the author, D.M. Randall for allowing me to be a part of her beta team to read this book. I've been dragging my feet on the review, because how do I put into a few paragraphs the enormity of what was felt and experienced while I read this story? There are some books that you read and move on to the next one, and others that you inhale at warp speed, and realize when you get to the end that this story will stay with you for your entire life. This is one of those books, and THAT is why I will always recommend this series to anyone that asks for suggestions on what to read next.
The Riven Altar gets you hooked on the rockstar lifestyle, the glamor of the "what if" romance, and the beautifully lyrical writing. The Encore's Crown continues the band's story but with a totally different vibe. The insane amount of banter, the dynamic between the bandmates, the depth and complexity of the characters, and the absolutely devastating emotional ride along the way? Absolutely worth every second of those 600+ pages. MMC Kiri and FMC Natalia are layered and self aware to a degree that is uncommon in most romance books and it was SO refreshing to watch as their relationship grew and developed into something they both so deeply needed. Spicy? YES. Hilarious (the poor plant and the floatie)? Also yes. But beyond the surface they offer each other such a deep level of companionship, trust, and authenticity that I don't think either of them expected to find.
I'm tearing up as I'm writing this, thinking back on what this book made me feel (thanks a LOT, DM). It was funny, endearing, entertaining, tragic, frustrating, devastating, and eye-opening, which says a hell of a lot about the insane amount of skill this author possesses. To be able to craft a story of that caliber and keep the reader as highly engaged in the story throughout a book that large? WOW. And without giving away any spoilers, I'll end here, with a final resounding endorsement of -stop whatever you are doing and buy this book. You will NOT regret it.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes/Notables: Dual POV, rockstar romance, age gap, forbidden/secret relationship, hurt/comfort, forced proximity, mental health rep, found family, touch her and die, cinnamon roll MMC, feisty FMC, influencer/bassist
Quotes:
"Underneath it, something quieter rests. A whole year without him, looming. A year of learning to walk around grief without stepping on its tail."
"I don't move this time. I stay where I am, bass still warm against my body, surrounded by the only structure that's ever held, my brothers, my family, the band."
"Whatever...broken pieces of me still work, I press them together in that moment, and give them all to her."
"Then (she) turns her head. Suddenly, I understand how religions are started. One person saw something impossible staring back at them and dropped to their knees. That was her."
"Don't be nice. It makes me itchy."
"I met someone who makes the future feel less like a threat. Sure, it's messy, but when isn't life a little messy? Messy things are fun, sometimes."
Review:
I am SO grateful to the author, D.M. Randall for allowing me to be a part of her beta team to read this book. I've been dragging my feet on the review, because how do I put into a few paragraphs the enormity of what was felt and experienced while I read this story? There are some books that you read and move on to the next one, and others that you inhale at warp speed, and realize when you get to the end that this story will stay with you for your entire life. This is one of those books, and THAT is why I will always recommend this series to anyone that asks for suggestions on what to read next.
The Riven Altar gets you hooked on the rockstar lifestyle, the glamor of the "what if" romance, and the beautifully lyrical writing. The Encore's Crown continues the band's story but with a totally different vibe. The insane amount of banter, the dynamic between the bandmates, the depth and complexity of the characters, and the absolutely devastating emotional ride along the way? Absolutely worth every second of those 600+ pages. MMC Kiri and FMC Natalia are layered and self aware to a degree that is uncommon in most romance books and it was SO refreshing to watch as their relationship grew and developed into something they both so deeply needed. Spicy? YES. Hilarious (the poor plant and the floatie)? Also yes. But beyond the surface they offer each other such a deep level of companionship, trust, and authenticity that I don't think either of them expected to find.
I'm tearing up as I'm writing this, thinking back on what this book made me feel (thanks a LOT, DM). It was funny, endearing, entertaining, tragic, frustrating, devastating, and eye-opening, which says a hell of a lot about the insane amount of skill this author possesses. To be able to craft a story of that caliber and keep the reader as highly engaged in the story throughout a book that large? WOW. And without giving away any spoilers, I'll end here, with a final resounding endorsement of -stop whatever you are doing and buy this book. You will NOT regret it.
September 22, 2026
Loved it
August 26, 2026
I honestly did not think anything after The Riven Altar (D.Ms first book) would be topped - then I read this.
I loved Rafe & Kasia… but I am IN LOVE with Kiri & Natalia 💜
With STUNNING penmanship, this is the ultimate romance, everything you could ever want love to be portrayed as. All interwoven with the depth of both Nat and Kiri’s pasts.
We have love, lust, Allllll the feelings, yearning, and dare I say it? for once, a vulnerable mmc (we so love to see it) and there is no bad guys here.
Kiri doesn’t act like he’s the big man, like he’s all that, show-off. There is no need, because he simply IS all that.
I love every character in this book and every family and friend intertwining.
A long-ass book and still somehow not long enough.
A ⭐️
I loved Rafe & Kasia… but I am IN LOVE with Kiri & Natalia 💜
With STUNNING penmanship, this is the ultimate romance, everything you could ever want love to be portrayed as. All interwoven with the depth of both Nat and Kiri’s pasts.
We have love, lust, Allllll the feelings, yearning, and dare I say it? for once, a vulnerable mmc (we so love to see it) and there is no bad guys here.
Kiri doesn’t act like he’s the big man, like he’s all that, show-off. There is no need, because he simply IS all that.
I love every character in this book and every family and friend intertwining.
A long-ass book and still somehow not long enough.
A ⭐️
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book and was not paid for my review.
***
She built her following by knowing exactly how to be watched. He should have known better than to look. Rising influencer Natalia is joining a sold-out Asia tour for the band The Riven Altar, to support her older sister. Unfortunately, that means sharing tight quarters with Kiri Chhim, the tattooed bassist who ghosted her a year ago. Now Natalia is determined to make his life a living hell, but their kind of attraction that turns every heated argument into foreplay
- Rockstar romance
- Forced proximity
- Age gap
- Second chance
- Perfect revenge
***
I honestly don’t know where to start with this review, I am more than a little bit shell shocked. The first book in the series had me sobbing through a broken heart and I was more than a little bit scared about what DM would do to me this time round. Well, she made me cry again, more in fact – but this time she did it through fear, sadness, trauma and happiness. Not cool. So obviously I am now fully addicted to anything she writes.
The characters in this book are everything I love. Natalia is young, beautiful and damned clever, she is absolutely not just a pretty face but that doesn’t mean she can’t use it to cut someone down to size. So of course, when she gets the chance to make Kiri regret ever sending her a Dear John and then ghosting her, our girl does it in slinky dresses, heels with every word, sigh and eyelash flutter perfectly aimed. And oh boy does the tension ratchet up quickly. Kiri is our bear of a man, he holds the band together by being everyone’s rock, and yet is still the perpetual flirt, he curates that image to keep anything that could hurt him at arms length. He may be doing everything he can to behave since being told to stay away from his frontman’s future sister-in-law, but Kiri is not without skills when it comes to derailing Nat’s plans for revenge.
The wit, the sarcasm, the funnies, the laughter through tears, the words. Just the words. This book builds relationships, adds depth, makes you crave more from friendships with side characters just as much as it will have you screaming “just kiss already!”. I cannot say enough about the character building in this book.
But this book is more than just strategically placed hemlines and the perfectly shiny lip gloss on a roof overlooking a city skyline at night. It is grab you in the chest, pin you to the wall and tear your heart into teeny tiny pieces. It deals with some seriously complex and heavy trauma in our main characters, how this controls their lives and how it has built up so much scar tissue it would take a pneumatic drill to get through it. Be prepared, have tissues ready, you will need them as much as you need the happily ever after.
This book is fire. This book is yearning. This book is exquisite tension. This book has you cheering. This book has you bawling your eyes out. This book will make you giggle, cackle and out right snort laugh. You need this book.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Just read it. No other words.
***
She built her following by knowing exactly how to be watched. He should have known better than to look. Rising influencer Natalia is joining a sold-out Asia tour for the band The Riven Altar, to support her older sister. Unfortunately, that means sharing tight quarters with Kiri Chhim, the tattooed bassist who ghosted her a year ago. Now Natalia is determined to make his life a living hell, but their kind of attraction that turns every heated argument into foreplay
- Rockstar romance
- Forced proximity
- Age gap
- Second chance
- Perfect revenge
***
I honestly don’t know where to start with this review, I am more than a little bit shell shocked. The first book in the series had me sobbing through a broken heart and I was more than a little bit scared about what DM would do to me this time round. Well, she made me cry again, more in fact – but this time she did it through fear, sadness, trauma and happiness. Not cool. So obviously I am now fully addicted to anything she writes.
The characters in this book are everything I love. Natalia is young, beautiful and damned clever, she is absolutely not just a pretty face but that doesn’t mean she can’t use it to cut someone down to size. So of course, when she gets the chance to make Kiri regret ever sending her a Dear John and then ghosting her, our girl does it in slinky dresses, heels with every word, sigh and eyelash flutter perfectly aimed. And oh boy does the tension ratchet up quickly. Kiri is our bear of a man, he holds the band together by being everyone’s rock, and yet is still the perpetual flirt, he curates that image to keep anything that could hurt him at arms length. He may be doing everything he can to behave since being told to stay away from his frontman’s future sister-in-law, but Kiri is not without skills when it comes to derailing Nat’s plans for revenge.
The wit, the sarcasm, the funnies, the laughter through tears, the words. Just the words. This book builds relationships, adds depth, makes you crave more from friendships with side characters just as much as it will have you screaming “just kiss already!”. I cannot say enough about the character building in this book.
But this book is more than just strategically placed hemlines and the perfectly shiny lip gloss on a roof overlooking a city skyline at night. It is grab you in the chest, pin you to the wall and tear your heart into teeny tiny pieces. It deals with some seriously complex and heavy trauma in our main characters, how this controls their lives and how it has built up so much scar tissue it would take a pneumatic drill to get through it. Be prepared, have tissues ready, you will need them as much as you need the happily ever after.
This book is fire. This book is yearning. This book is exquisite tension. This book has you cheering. This book has you bawling your eyes out. This book will make you giggle, cackle and out right snort laugh. You need this book.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Just read it. No other words.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review
Another exceptional book from D.M. Randall, who is becoming the ultimate queen of rock star romances!!
I was hooked from the beginning and I could NOT put it down.
This book follows on from the Riven Altar, where we see the story of Kiri Chimm and Natalia Sawadzka, and my goodness what a story it is.
These two had me shrieking with laughter, swooning, kicking my feet, and in the next breath, crying actual tears, and feeling all the feels.
The Encores crown is just so much fun to read, I had the best time.
I absolutely adore Natalia, she is nothing less than a queen, and all her planning and scheming to make Kiri ‘know what he’s missing’ was just perfection. I was roaring with laughter, and her self assurance was so on point, she knows the impact she creates. But she doesn’t stop there, she’s not surface level, instead you get to learn that who she is, is such a deep, mature and caring person, but it’s so quietly done and beautifully written by DM, that the only word I could ever use to describe her is a ‘queen’. She doesn’t expect outward gratitude or notice when it comes to real life off the screen, she just gets on with what needs to be done because she notices what people need before they know themselves. Natalia as a character blew me away, and of course only someone like DM could write someone as deep and beautiful as her, with such such mischief!
Then we get onto our main man Kiri, who all the girls should be worshipping, he makes me SWOON!! His reactions to Natalia were just the funniest thing ever, but through the story of the Encores Crown, you get to watch him grow and learn he doesn’t have to be afraid of his feelings. It was also a real eye opener to see why Kiri is the way he is, what’s happened in his life and his background and his struggles. You can’t help but fall in love with this man as you see him navigate the world around him, see how he thinks he’s perceived by others instead of seeing the real keeper that he is, and finally accept his feelings.
Also the spice, the yearning!!! Damnnnn girl!! DM has done it good 🤭😏
Once again, you can’t fault DMs writing, she has the most beautiful, fun and eloquent way of bringing the world of the Riven Altar to life, and on top of that, she is able to handle difficult and potentially upsetting situations with such grace and understanding.
As a reader you can really feel the words and emotions she puts to the page, everything is so raw and real it’s like you could pluck the world off the page and straight into real life. DM really is such a talented writer, and you know anytime she puts pen to page, you’re in for nothing short of exceptional.
She will always be a 5* author in my eyes, her books are always 5*s, and she deserves every bit of praise she gets.
So what do I think of The Encores Crown? One of, if not, my top book of the year. Absolutely exceptional. TAKE A BOW.
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Another exceptional book from D.M. Randall, who is becoming the ultimate queen of rock star romances!!
I was hooked from the beginning and I could NOT put it down.
This book follows on from the Riven Altar, where we see the story of Kiri Chimm and Natalia Sawadzka, and my goodness what a story it is.
These two had me shrieking with laughter, swooning, kicking my feet, and in the next breath, crying actual tears, and feeling all the feels.
The Encores crown is just so much fun to read, I had the best time.
I absolutely adore Natalia, she is nothing less than a queen, and all her planning and scheming to make Kiri ‘know what he’s missing’ was just perfection. I was roaring with laughter, and her self assurance was so on point, she knows the impact she creates. But she doesn’t stop there, she’s not surface level, instead you get to learn that who she is, is such a deep, mature and caring person, but it’s so quietly done and beautifully written by DM, that the only word I could ever use to describe her is a ‘queen’. She doesn’t expect outward gratitude or notice when it comes to real life off the screen, she just gets on with what needs to be done because she notices what people need before they know themselves. Natalia as a character blew me away, and of course only someone like DM could write someone as deep and beautiful as her, with such such mischief!
Then we get onto our main man Kiri, who all the girls should be worshipping, he makes me SWOON!! His reactions to Natalia were just the funniest thing ever, but through the story of the Encores Crown, you get to watch him grow and learn he doesn’t have to be afraid of his feelings. It was also a real eye opener to see why Kiri is the way he is, what’s happened in his life and his background and his struggles. You can’t help but fall in love with this man as you see him navigate the world around him, see how he thinks he’s perceived by others instead of seeing the real keeper that he is, and finally accept his feelings.
Also the spice, the yearning!!! Damnnnn girl!! DM has done it good 🤭😏
Once again, you can’t fault DMs writing, she has the most beautiful, fun and eloquent way of bringing the world of the Riven Altar to life, and on top of that, she is able to handle difficult and potentially upsetting situations with such grace and understanding.
As a reader you can really feel the words and emotions she puts to the page, everything is so raw and real it’s like you could pluck the world off the page and straight into real life. DM really is such a talented writer, and you know anytime she puts pen to page, you’re in for nothing short of exceptional.
She will always be a 5* author in my eyes, her books are always 5*s, and she deserves every bit of praise she gets.
So what do I think of The Encores Crown? One of, if not, my top book of the year. Absolutely exceptional. TAKE A BOW.
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review of advance copy received from Author
And by book two, D. M. Randall is officially a must-read author for me! 🖤
I read The Riven Altar last month and it had me curling my toes, giggling, crying, swooning, screaming and then SOBBING.
Naturally, I then slid into the beautiful author's DMs demanding that the ARC I'd applied for be approved as emotional compensation. 😂
Going into this one, I was mentally prepared. I knew this author had a bag full of extremely well-written characters, a hot and talented band, warm and inviting family dynamics, and writing I could read forever.
And the second book is never quite as hard-hitting as the first book, right?
I knew we had:
🏨 Forced proximity
🎸 Age gap
🖕🏻 Does he deserve a second chance?
💄 He's going to regret losing me
🤫 Forbidden romance
Well… let me tell you, I was once again sliding into the DMs.
Kiri's story opened up my skin, wormed its way inside pieces of me I'd patched over long ago, and then screamed "YOUR FEELINGS ARE VALID!"
Okay. Now I'm crying again. 🥲
Natalia is a smart and underestimated 23-year-old influencer who has captured Kiri's attention. With his bandmate dating her sister, this has been firmly declared forbidden territory.
So yes, we have yearning.
Stolen glances.
Fist-clenching.
Complete denial.
And then we have grown man Kiri, who I honestly wanted to strangle at certain points. 😂
Their chemistry is undeniable, but the insecurities fuelling both Natalia and Kiri's decision making was rage inducing, while being extremely valid.
Because HOW do you go from:
"𝐴𝑠 𝑖𝑓 ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑑𝑛’𝑡 𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑔 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑝𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑎 𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑦 ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑤𝑟𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑙 𝑔𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑖𝑑 𝑚𝑦 𝑛𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑠 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑘𝑒𝑑 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ℎ𝑒'𝑑 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑚𝑦 ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑤𝑟𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑒𝑙𝑠𝑒."
…to being BLOCKED?!
Well, you'll just have to read it and become emotionally invested yourself.
Because I genuinely cannot find the words to explain how two brothers who, in the first book, were just these aloof and very annoying members of The Riven Altar crawled their way into my scarred heart.
"𝐾𝑖𝑛𝑑. 𝐾𝑖𝑟𝑖 𝐶ℎℎ𝑖𝑚 𝑖𝑠 𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑑." 😭😭😭😭😭
They're survivors with little pinky promises gluing their broken pieces together, and apparently I am emotionally attached to both of them.
This review has officially become a ramble, so I'm going to stop pretending I can articulate my feelings.
I'm off to paint myself with frosting to sweeten my mood.
I read The Riven Altar last month and it had me curling my toes, giggling, crying, swooning, screaming and then SOBBING.
Naturally, I then slid into the beautiful author's DMs demanding that the ARC I'd applied for be approved as emotional compensation. 😂
Going into this one, I was mentally prepared. I knew this author had a bag full of extremely well-written characters, a hot and talented band, warm and inviting family dynamics, and writing I could read forever.
And the second book is never quite as hard-hitting as the first book, right?
I knew we had:
🏨 Forced proximity
🎸 Age gap
🖕🏻 Does he deserve a second chance?
💄 He's going to regret losing me
🤫 Forbidden romance
Well… let me tell you, I was once again sliding into the DMs.
Kiri's story opened up my skin, wormed its way inside pieces of me I'd patched over long ago, and then screamed "YOUR FEELINGS ARE VALID!"
Okay. Now I'm crying again. 🥲
Natalia is a smart and underestimated 23-year-old influencer who has captured Kiri's attention. With his bandmate dating her sister, this has been firmly declared forbidden territory.
So yes, we have yearning.
Stolen glances.
Fist-clenching.
Complete denial.
And then we have grown man Kiri, who I honestly wanted to strangle at certain points. 😂
Their chemistry is undeniable, but the insecurities fuelling both Natalia and Kiri's decision making was rage inducing, while being extremely valid.
Because HOW do you go from:
"𝐴𝑠 𝑖𝑓 ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑑𝑛’𝑡 𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑔 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑝𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑎 𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑦 ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑤𝑟𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑙 𝑔𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑖𝑑 𝑚𝑦 𝑛𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑠 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑘𝑒𝑑 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ℎ𝑒'𝑑 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑚𝑦 ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑤𝑟𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑒𝑙𝑠𝑒."
…to being BLOCKED?!
Well, you'll just have to read it and become emotionally invested yourself.
Because I genuinely cannot find the words to explain how two brothers who, in the first book, were just these aloof and very annoying members of The Riven Altar crawled their way into my scarred heart.
"𝐾𝑖𝑛𝑑. 𝐾𝑖𝑟𝑖 𝐶ℎℎ𝑖𝑚 𝑖𝑠 𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑑." 😭😭😭😭😭
They're survivors with little pinky promises gluing their broken pieces together, and apparently I am emotionally attached to both of them.
This review has officially become a ramble, so I'm going to stop pretending I can articulate my feelings.
I'm off to paint myself with frosting to sweeten my mood.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Encore's Crown was the perfect follow-up to The Riven Altar. While you can definitely read this book as a standalone, I would highly recommend reading The Riven Altar first - one, because it's an amazing book, and two, because it makes Natalia's loneliness and emotion easier to understand. Natalia is a social media influencer, and knows exactly how to present herself to the world. Whether the face she shows them is real or not is another story. Likewise, Kiri (bassist in the band, The Riven Altar) knows what it's like to live in someone else's shadow and feel pressured to present a different face to the public. He has always been the backbone of his band, the one who does what needs to be done behind the scenes without bringing attention to himself for it. Natalia is the little sister of Kasia, Rafe's girl. As the lead singer and protector of Kasia, Rafe insists that Natalia is off-limits to Kiri, since he is known as the band's playboy and general screw up. Even though the pair have had a mutual flirtation through social media DMs and voice notes, Kiri tends to agree with Rafe's assessment of the situation, so he pushes Natalia away, until she tags along with her sister and joins the tour. Again, Kiri tries to keep his distance, but Natalia is not one to be told what to do or how to act. She is a force of nature, and refuses to play by anyone else's rules.
D.M. Randall is masterful at weaving storylines together, creating fascinating backstories and redeeming qualities in her most flawed characters, and she is also terrifyingly good at causing emotional damage to readers as they traverse the roller coaster ride that is one of her books. Trust me when I say, every page is worth the time and tears (happy and sad) you will expend, and by the end of this musical journey, you will be content with where the story takes you, yet impatiently waiting for her to finish the next installation in this series!
D.M. Randall is masterful at weaving storylines together, creating fascinating backstories and redeeming qualities in her most flawed characters, and she is also terrifyingly good at causing emotional damage to readers as they traverse the roller coaster ride that is one of her books. Trust me when I say, every page is worth the time and tears (happy and sad) you will expend, and by the end of this musical journey, you will be content with where the story takes you, yet impatiently waiting for her to finish the next installation in this series!
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