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Lion and Snake #1
The Boy Bride
Lion & Snake, Book 1
In a fortress with no way in or out lives the beaten hero of the Western Mountains, imprisoned by his enemies. Up the mountain one spring comes a young man to be his bride—and to kill him. But nothing goes according to plan.
The Boy Bride is the first book of Lion & Snake, a queer romance set in a fictional world inspired by the Ancient Near East.
In a fortress with no way in or out lives the beaten hero of the Western Mountains, imprisoned by his enemies. Up the mountain one spring comes a young man to be his bride—and to kill him. But nothing goes according to plan.
The Boy Bride is the first book of Lion & Snake, a queer romance set in a fictional world inspired by the Ancient Near East.
478 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2025
About the author
A.J. Demas
9 books454 followersA.J. Demas writes about love and imaginary politics in a fictional ancient world. She lives in Toronto, Canada, with her husband and cute daughter.
A.J. also publishes fantasy and historical fiction with a metaphysical twist as Alice Degan.
A.J. also publishes fantasy and historical fiction with a metaphysical twist as Alice Degan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
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September 4, 2026A novel set in AJ Demas ancient world, with an exiled warlord who just wants a quiet life and the young assassin sent to kill him posing as a boy bride. Demas's alt-Mediterranean frequently features some slightly queasy stuff, reminding us that the distant past is very much another country, so e.g. we're told Vanu has raped enemy soldiers as a thing that was expected of him, and a lot of the customs relating to women and gender are disconcerting /weird. (This is a feature, not a bug, why would I want to read about ancient Mediterranean cultures that are just like the 21st century UK.)
The book goes at a very relaxed pace, taking its time in the worldbuilding and with most of the action happening in flashbacks to both MCs' violent histories: the present is not hugely action-packed for the most part. This is possibly related to its composition as a serial novel (author is braver than me for doing that), as that tends to the discursive rather than the tightly knitted. Communication is a huge issue throughout: who speaks which languages, who understands, who's refusing or or reluctant or hasn't been allowed to speak.
It is very much a part 1 of the story. I liked it and will definitely read part 2: as a very plot driven reader I am looking forward to the action picking up now we have our ducks in a row.
The book goes at a very relaxed pace, taking its time in the worldbuilding and with most of the action happening in flashbacks to both MCs' violent histories: the present is not hugely action-packed for the most part. This is possibly related to its composition as a serial novel (author is braver than me for doing that), as that tends to the discursive rather than the tightly knitted. Communication is a huge issue throughout: who speaks which languages, who understands, who's refusing or or reluctant or hasn't been allowed to speak.
It is very much a part 1 of the story. I liked it and will definitely read part 2: as a very plot driven reader I am looking forward to the action picking up now we have our ducks in a row.
December 19, 2025
Reading an A.J. Demas book is magical. I absolutely love her alt-Mediterranean world, but it’s not the grand sweep of armies in pitched battles or good vs. evil that makes her novels so good - it’s the growing intimacy between her characters and the way they are embedded in the various cultures of her fictional world that is compelling.
This is as true of The Boy Bride as the rest of her work. I was enchanted from the first page. Finding yourself in her world is easier than going through Lewis’ wardrobe.
This story follows Lil, a trained spy and assassin, who’s been given the job of killing a fearsome rebel, Vanu. Vanu and his family have been holed up in a deteriorating fortress, to which Lil has been delivered as a boy bride for Vanu - an offering from one of Vanu’s supposedly loyal friends. Lil’s job is to get close to Vanu and kill him when given a signal.
But in the surprisingly normal day-to-day operations of the tiny village inside the fortress’s walls, which includes the use of sign language for those who have hearing impairments, Lil discovers a reality far beyond what he was taught as an orphan in the school for assassins. This includes Vanu, whom Lil believed to be an unimaginable Barbarian killer.
I find the following quote from Peter S. Beagle is as true of Demas’s world as it is of Middle-earth:
“The impulse is being called reactionary now, but lovers of Middle-earth want to go there. I would myself, like a shot. For in the end it is Middle-earth and its dwellers that we love, not Tolkien’s considerable gifts in showing it to us. I said once that the world he charts was there long before him, and I still believe it. He is a great enough magician to tap our most common nightmares, daydreams and twilight fancies, but he never invented them either: he found them a place to live, a green alternative to each day’s madness here in a poisoned world. We are raised to honor all the wrong explorers and discoverers—thieves planting flags, murderers carrying crosses. Let us at last praise the colonizers of dreams.”
- Peter S. Beagle, The Tolkien Reader
Used in the sense that a plant’s seeds can drift and colonize or grow in a new space, Demas is very much a colonizer of dreams .
This is as true of The Boy Bride as the rest of her work. I was enchanted from the first page. Finding yourself in her world is easier than going through Lewis’ wardrobe.
This story follows Lil, a trained spy and assassin, who’s been given the job of killing a fearsome rebel, Vanu. Vanu and his family have been holed up in a deteriorating fortress, to which Lil has been delivered as a boy bride for Vanu - an offering from one of Vanu’s supposedly loyal friends. Lil’s job is to get close to Vanu and kill him when given a signal.
But in the surprisingly normal day-to-day operations of the tiny village inside the fortress’s walls, which includes the use of sign language for those who have hearing impairments, Lil discovers a reality far beyond what he was taught as an orphan in the school for assassins. This includes Vanu, whom Lil believed to be an unimaginable Barbarian killer.
I find the following quote from Peter S. Beagle is as true of Demas’s world as it is of Middle-earth:
“The impulse is being called reactionary now, but lovers of Middle-earth want to go there. I would myself, like a shot. For in the end it is Middle-earth and its dwellers that we love, not Tolkien’s considerable gifts in showing it to us. I said once that the world he charts was there long before him, and I still believe it. He is a great enough magician to tap our most common nightmares, daydreams and twilight fancies, but he never invented them either: he found them a place to live, a green alternative to each day’s madness here in a poisoned world. We are raised to honor all the wrong explorers and discoverers—thieves planting flags, murderers carrying crosses. Let us at last praise the colonizers of dreams.”
- Peter S. Beagle, The Tolkien Reader
Used in the sense that a plant’s seeds can drift and colonize or grow in a new space, Demas is very much a colonizer of dreams .
August 28, 2026
This book was DELIGHTFUL. Honestly, I have not had this much fun or been this charmed reading a book in a long-ass time. Demas is an incredible storyteller and book 2 cannot come soon enough!
In classic Demas style, we have a kind of mundane fantasy setting - which to say it has all the elements of high fantasy but without magic. The story is told from the perspective of both MCs, but weaves past and present in a really masterful way, with really excellent and complex world-building, with some discussion around gender and gender-roles in different societies that I thought was so well done.
Our MCs are Lill and Vanu. Lill is the boy bride in question, a beautiful androgynous assassin sent by mysterious forces to marry (and kill) Lord Vanu, an infamous warlord walled into a mountain fortress by the Great King. His motives and background are very mysterious at first, but we get to know him well as the story goes. Lill was a great character, deadly but innocent, with a dry wit and remarkable composure. I found his perspective hilarious and poignant. I really loved him. Vanu was also great, nothing like the ferocious monster he is made out to be, Lill discovers that he is rather a gentle and kind man. He challenges all Lill's assumptions and makes Lill feel things he didn't know he could feel. The romance is very, very slow burn and never quite gets to a comfortable place in this book, so don't expect grand declarations and big HEAs, Demas is making us work for that.
The story takes place almost entirely in this walled-in village with fewer than a dozen inhabitants and we get to see the intimacies of their lives left to fend for themselves in isolation. Every character was lovingly written, each with their own idiosyncrasies and foibles. It was just so fun to be in this world, and that is all down to the fantastic writing. It does, however, end on something of a cliffhanger, which is not great. But book 2 is slated as for publication at the end of next month, so happily not too long a wait.
In classic Demas style, we have a kind of mundane fantasy setting - which to say it has all the elements of high fantasy but without magic. The story is told from the perspective of both MCs, but weaves past and present in a really masterful way, with really excellent and complex world-building, with some discussion around gender and gender-roles in different societies that I thought was so well done.
Our MCs are Lill and Vanu. Lill is the boy bride in question, a beautiful androgynous assassin sent by mysterious forces to marry (and kill) Lord Vanu, an infamous warlord walled into a mountain fortress by the Great King. His motives and background are very mysterious at first, but we get to know him well as the story goes. Lill was a great character, deadly but innocent, with a dry wit and remarkable composure. I found his perspective hilarious and poignant. I really loved him. Vanu was also great, nothing like the ferocious monster he is made out to be, Lill discovers that he is rather a gentle and kind man. He challenges all Lill's assumptions and makes Lill feel things he didn't know he could feel. The romance is very, very slow burn and never quite gets to a comfortable place in this book, so don't expect grand declarations and big HEAs, Demas is making us work for that.
The story takes place almost entirely in this walled-in village with fewer than a dozen inhabitants and we get to see the intimacies of their lives left to fend for themselves in isolation. Every character was lovingly written, each with their own idiosyncrasies and foibles. It was just so fun to be in this world, and that is all down to the fantastic writing. It does, however, end on something of a cliffhanger, which is not great. But book 2 is slated as for publication at the end of next month, so happily not too long a wait.
July 2, 2026
aj demas is a brilliant writer and i loved this!!!! but also what an evil ending!!!! (no it makes sense and it’s good but still AGHHHHHHHH). anyways…. i feel like this gave me the same feelings captive prince does which is a #vibe. honestly maybe her best work yet and i can’t waitttt for the rest of the series. just lovely characters, so traumatized but sweet. the care and affection and trust ajakskskskdkkd kill me /pos. i also loved all of the side characters and how a lot of the plot was generated by their doofusness. the romance… fucking god it was good. every moment we got was soooooooo. loved the sex scenes, i want more, but you know, normal. and i love the rep!!! really great fantasy historical trans stuff going on, loved the deaf and sign language rep, just overall a brilliant and wonderful book that i just ate upppp
August 15, 2026
Utterly fantastic. I'd never read anything by A.J. Demas before, but I'm now officially in awe. This doesn't read like a fantasy novel or an M/M romance or even a typical SFF M/M story. The characters are so real it hurts, and watching their relationships develop throughout the book is bittersweet and charming. Next book can't come out soon enough 😭
July 22, 2026
More craft than story
Prose overextends, so the plot crawls and one gets the overwhelming feeling that nothing happens. No thrill for action scenes or suspenseful moments because the writing just plops itself down and draws out every conceivable detail.
Prose overextends, so the plot crawls and one gets the overwhelming feeling that nothing happens. No thrill for action scenes or suspenseful moments because the writing just plops itself down and draws out every conceivable detail.
January 21, 2026
*Spoilers ahead*
Essentially people managing to live in a self sufficient commune after being walled in by an enemy army? Slay
I have to say though I wasn’t quite sure about the premise, because as bizarre as it is the characters also didn’t exactly act the way you would expect them to.
They’re all just living secluded in this commune for years when two people come tumbling over the wall and they’re all just kinda chill with it? They’re like ah whatever you can live with us.
Also Lill is a terrible assassin. He falls from the wall, speaks a language he is not supposed to know, pretends he’s bad at fighting and then forgets that he meant to do that, what can this man even do?
Everything about what he does and his backstory screams assassin, and Vanu’s just like: “Nothing weird about that let’s trust him”
“Hey so I killed your dad, did you know?”
“Yes. Were you not worried I would come and seek revenge?”
“Considering the knives, your sneakiness, your story that doesn’t add up? Nooo why would I ever”
I do have to say though, people speaking Zashian makes me feel very nostalgic. Solid 3/5
Essentially people managing to live in a self sufficient commune after being walled in by an enemy army? Slay
I have to say though I wasn’t quite sure about the premise, because as bizarre as it is the characters also didn’t exactly act the way you would expect them to.
They’re all just living secluded in this commune for years when two people come tumbling over the wall and they’re all just kinda chill with it? They’re like ah whatever you can live with us.
Also Lill is a terrible assassin. He falls from the wall, speaks a language he is not supposed to know, pretends he’s bad at fighting and then forgets that he meant to do that, what can this man even do?
Everything about what he does and his backstory screams assassin, and Vanu’s just like: “Nothing weird about that let’s trust him”
“Hey so I killed your dad, did you know?”
“Yes. Were you not worried I would come and seek revenge?”
“Considering the knives, your sneakiness, your story that doesn’t add up? Nooo why would I ever”
I do have to say though, people speaking Zashian makes me feel very nostalgic. Solid 3/5
March 26, 2026
Each and every book by the author draws me entirely into an imaginary distant past with intricate cultural and sociopolitical world-building. Moments of cruelty and unexpected violence are balanced against scenes of amusing bantering and levity. Each and every character is distinctly drawn ... and I'm gradually pulled toward caring for them very much. The backstory and oblique motivations for each main character are slowly (but surely) unveiled all throughout the telling ... ending on a cliffhanger! I'm now on tenterhooks awaiting for the next installment 5 truly worthy stars.
July 7, 2026
Immersive, compulsive. Part one of 3
Demas released each chapter on Ream, and has recently compiled them into volume one of this series. They read a little jerkily, possibly as a result of the release format, possibly because the story uses a lot of PoVs. The set-up takes a good portion of the book, which Demas does with her usual flare for conjuring up a lost world through its domestic details. The plot is deferred until set-up is complete.
Demas released each chapter on Ream, and has recently compiled them into volume one of this series. They read a little jerkily, possibly as a result of the release format, possibly because the story uses a lot of PoVs. The set-up takes a good portion of the book, which Demas does with her usual flare for conjuring up a lost world through its domestic details. The plot is deferred until set-up is complete.
Read
November 8, 2025Just lovely. Lill (trained assassin) contracts an arranged marriage with Vanu (war hero), because it's the only way he can get into the fortress to kill him, but they fall in love instead. It's everything you expect from an AJ Demas novel; strong characters, a beautiful sense of place, some things to think about, and just a whole load of sweet.
July 11, 2026
The author originally wrote this novel as a serial over the last year or so, and I've been impatiently waiting for it to come out in ebook, and now I finally have a copy! In The Boy Bride, young Lill has been sent as an assassin disguised as a boy bride to a warlord walled up in a mountain fortress. But once inside the walls, he finds his mission more difficult than he expected...and begins to question everything he was taught.
AJ Demas writes such lovely alt-Ancient Mediterranean romances, and it's a shame she's not known more widely. (Perils of being very indie). Her latest is set way up in the hinterlands of her alt-Persia, the isolated domain of warring hill bandits and a long way from the fashionable cities. Warlord Vanu was a particularly successful hill bandit who threatened to unite the local factions before the empire contrived to wall him up in one of his own fortresses. Enter Lill, a deeply traumatized eighteen year old brought up in an assassin cult who's been sent to assassinate Vanu for reasons that slowly become clear. Lill is obviously not thinking clearly, but it's entirely in line for his characterization and past, and even as a hater, I sympathized for his reasoning rather than feeling exasperated. Overall, most of the plot is constrained to the inside of the fortress itself. I initially objected to the whole concept of being walled up in a fortress for three years—even if you're eating people, you don't usually withstand a siege for that long—but Demas quickly clears up the issue. (There's only seven people in there and they have a secret way out).
My only quibble here is that I think the original release as a serial meant that the book ended up longer and more meandering than it might have been otherwise. The story ends up in a cliffhanger, meant to be resolved in the sequel out this September. Still, I think I'd probably read a phone book at this point if Demas released a dramatic adaptation. She's a must-read author if you like queer historical romances, but I think I'd probably recommend starting with her busier and more cosmopolitan Sword Dance or Something Human.
AJ Demas writes such lovely alt-Ancient Mediterranean romances, and it's a shame she's not known more widely. (Perils of being very indie). Her latest is set way up in the hinterlands of her alt-Persia, the isolated domain of warring hill bandits and a long way from the fashionable cities. Warlord Vanu was a particularly successful hill bandit who threatened to unite the local factions before the empire contrived to wall him up in one of his own fortresses. Enter Lill, a deeply traumatized eighteen year old brought up in an assassin cult who's been sent to assassinate Vanu for reasons that slowly become clear. Lill is obviously not thinking clearly, but it's entirely in line for his characterization and past, and even as a hater, I sympathized for his reasoning rather than feeling exasperated. Overall, most of the plot is constrained to the inside of the fortress itself. I initially objected to the whole concept of being walled up in a fortress for three years—even if you're eating people, you don't usually withstand a siege for that long—but Demas quickly clears up the issue. (There's only seven people in there and they have a secret way out).
My only quibble here is that I think the original release as a serial meant that the book ended up longer and more meandering than it might have been otherwise. The story ends up in a cliffhanger, meant to be resolved in the sequel out this September. Still, I think I'd probably read a phone book at this point if Demas released a dramatic adaptation. She's a must-read author if you like queer historical romances, but I think I'd probably recommend starting with her busier and more cosmopolitan Sword Dance or Something Human.
September 14, 2026
If you love the slow, slow burn romance + enemies-to-lovers trope as much as I do, this book is absolutely for you.
Unlike other stories where the slow pacing can feel boring, the evolution of Lill and Vanu's relationship here is so well-crafted that it never becomes frustrating—in fact, it keeps you glued to the pages.
The plot is solid, original, and never cliché. The only element that left me a bit disoriented at times was the handling of the characters' frequent flashbacks; since they aren't immediately recognizable, it's easy to lose the narrative thread.
A word of warning: the story cuts off due to an impulsive decision by one of the protagonists, pushing everything to the second book (The Summer Pass).
We will have to wait until September to untangle the knot, so if you don't like cliffhangers, I recommend waiting for the sequel to come out.
Overall, it's a light, pleasant, and highly recommended read, perfectly in line with the author's other works
Unlike other stories where the slow pacing can feel boring, the evolution of Lill and Vanu's relationship here is so well-crafted that it never becomes frustrating—in fact, it keeps you glued to the pages.
The plot is solid, original, and never cliché. The only element that left me a bit disoriented at times was the handling of the characters' frequent flashbacks; since they aren't immediately recognizable, it's easy to lose the narrative thread.
A word of warning: the story cuts off due to an impulsive decision by one of the protagonists, pushing everything to the second book (The Summer Pass).
We will have to wait until September to untangle the knot, so if you don't like cliffhangers, I recommend waiting for the sequel to come out.
Overall, it's a light, pleasant, and highly recommended read, perfectly in line with the author's other works
Want to Read
September 4, 2026Cliffhanger (wait for b2)
Read
July 4, 2026I’m feeling a little “rage-y”. This is a new author to me and I normally don’t read reviews before reading a book so it doesn’t colour my views of the book.
BUT THIS ENDS IN A CLIFF HANGER and I didn’t see that note anywhere before I started!
Cue rage-y episode. I don’t read books with cliffhangers. I don’t have the patience to wait for the next book. Now I’m just angry
BUT THIS ENDS IN A CLIFF HANGER and I didn’t see that note anywhere before I started!
Cue rage-y episode. I don’t read books with cliffhangers. I don’t have the patience to wait for the next book. Now I’m just angry
July 26, 2026
I just don't know how to rate this one. I will definitely read the next one due to the unsportly CLIFFHANGER at the end, but I already know I won't enjoy it more than 3 stars. And I went in already thinking that the writing style is not really to my taste, so this is on me?
The author's writing style is LONGWINDED, it feels like the author is enjoying more to play out all those character interactions and how they would react in this very specific situation than to keep the plot going.
The characters all have 2 or 3 destinctive facets (they are not exactly 1-dimensional, but adding two other adjectives to their character sheet is still only making them multidimensional or nuanced only in theory).
Generally, all the nuance is black or white? The author is either 0 or 100 with all plot, but mixes those as if to attempt to get some nuances of gray, but you are so close to the picture you still see only black and white pixels?
I was first rolling my eyes so hard I could barely continue reading about the 18-year old super duper virginal MC (who didn't even masturbate ever in his life) shacking up with a 34-year old dude with daughters the same age or just a few years younger than his "boy bride".
But I see now how nothing else would have made sense here. Lill has the naivety or a sheltered 8-year old and even with all this growing up in a cult stuff you can't extend that indefinitely age-wise and still obtain some believability. So the age of 18 for the MC is the compromise not to make things illegal by most modern standards and still have that amount of naivety.
Just makes me wonder how good those assassins really are on under-cover missions because anything that needs interaction with people must be failling after about 2 sentences in due to the assassins having the real-world knowledge and street smarts of an extraterrestrial alien cosplaying as a normal human.
PS: What is with all that castration in A.J. Demas books?! “Geld him and throw him over the wall.”
PPS: At least this book was not easy to forget: Barda threatens to rape Lill multiple times and this is just never adressed in any form, but later we should count him as one of the good guys?!
The author's writing style is LONGWINDED, it feels like the author is enjoying more to play out all those character interactions and how they would react in this very specific situation than to keep the plot going.
The characters all have 2 or 3 destinctive facets (they are not exactly 1-dimensional, but adding two other adjectives to their character sheet is still only making them multidimensional or nuanced only in theory).
Generally, all the nuance is black or white? The author is either 0 or 100 with all plot, but mixes those as if to attempt to get some nuances of gray, but you are so close to the picture you still see only black and white pixels?
I was first rolling my eyes so hard I could barely continue reading about the 18-year old super duper virginal MC (who didn't even masturbate ever in his life) shacking up with a 34-year old dude with daughters the same age or just a few years younger than his "boy bride".
But I see now how nothing else would have made sense here. Lill has the naivety or a sheltered 8-year old and even with all this growing up in a cult stuff you can't extend that indefinitely age-wise and still obtain some believability. So the age of 18 for the MC is the compromise not to make things illegal by most modern standards and still have that amount of naivety.
Just makes me wonder how good those assassins really are on under-cover missions because anything that needs interaction with people must be failling after about 2 sentences in due to the assassins having the real-world knowledge and street smarts of an extraterrestrial alien cosplaying as a normal human.
PS: What is with all that castration in A.J. Demas books?! “Geld him and throw him over the wall.”
PPS: At least this book was not easy to forget: Barda threatens to rape Lill multiple times and this is just never adressed in any form, but later we should count him as one of the good guys?!
January 4, 2026
Always an absolute delight to get a new AJ Demas book. Her alt-ancient worlds are so well-crafted and the stories feel remarkably immersive.
Demas’ stories tend to be far more character- than plot-focused, and The Boy Bride is no exception. Demas’ characters are always compelling, so this is no hardship.
That said, I think a flaw in this book is that Demas does a great job painting a picture of who Lill is, only to (at times) have him act in ways that seem unjustified or at least confusing given what we know of him.
Without getting into spoilers, Lill’s decision at the end of the book seems to really come out of nowhere and cut against what we knew of him and his thinking from the previous 150-or-so pages. I’m not upset about the ending (only because we know there are more books coming; book 2, The Summer Pass, is already in development) but I do feel it wasn’t super well justified in the text.
All that said, I loved the book and can’t wait to see Vanu and Lill’s story continue in Book 2!
CONTENT WARNINGS: Sexual Assault (read on for more details, MINOR SPOILERS BELOW:
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There are no graphic depictions of sexual assault. However, there is a scene where a character is nearly sexually assaulted and a few other brief mentions of sexual assault in the text. Specifically, a character mentions that he was assaulted in the past and that he was at times expected to sexually assault others.
Demas’ stories tend to be far more character- than plot-focused, and The Boy Bride is no exception. Demas’ characters are always compelling, so this is no hardship.
That said, I think a flaw in this book is that Demas does a great job painting a picture of who Lill is, only to (at times) have him act in ways that seem unjustified or at least confusing given what we know of him.
Without getting into spoilers, Lill’s decision at the end of the book seems to really come out of nowhere and cut against what we knew of him and his thinking from the previous 150-or-so pages. I’m not upset about the ending (only because we know there are more books coming; book 2, The Summer Pass, is already in development) but I do feel it wasn’t super well justified in the text.
All that said, I loved the book and can’t wait to see Vanu and Lill’s story continue in Book 2!
CONTENT WARNINGS: Sexual Assault (read on for more details, MINOR SPOILERS BELOW:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
There are no graphic depictions of sexual assault. However, there is a scene where a character is nearly sexually assaulted and a few other brief mentions of sexual assault in the text. Specifically, a character mentions that he was assaulted in the past and that he was at times expected to sexually assault others.
April 7, 2026
Another great hit from AJ Demas! You can really tell this author does lot of research.
This time, the story is set next to Zashian (sort of Persian) border. On the other side of the border live many various "barbaric" clans with a very different way of life and outlooks.
The romance has quite a big age difference (which might be dealbreaker to some, but worked for me) and is very sweet. Lill, our MC, is sent as arranged bride to a famous warlord, though in truth he was sent to assasinate him... We slowly uncover the backstories of both and they form a tentative bond in the walled in fortress.
I really appreciate the portrayal of deafness and sign language in this book. Vanu, the warlord, has 3 daughters and all of them are deaf/hard of hearing and he himself is partially mute. I usually dislike how sign language is shown in books (bcs most authors get it wrong), but this was truly nailed!
First of the trilogy, ending on a cliffhanger - I am reading the second book on Ream stories, where the author publishes a new chapter every week.
This time, the story is set next to Zashian (sort of Persian) border. On the other side of the border live many various "barbaric" clans with a very different way of life and outlooks.
The romance has quite a big age difference (which might be dealbreaker to some, but worked for me) and is very sweet. Lill, our MC, is sent as arranged bride to a famous warlord, though in truth he was sent to assasinate him... We slowly uncover the backstories of both and they form a tentative bond in the walled in fortress.
I really appreciate the portrayal of deafness and sign language in this book. Vanu, the warlord, has 3 daughters and all of them are deaf/hard of hearing and he himself is partially mute. I usually dislike how sign language is shown in books (bcs most authors get it wrong), but this was truly nailed!
First of the trilogy, ending on a cliffhanger - I am reading the second book on Ream stories, where the author publishes a new chapter every week.
November 8, 2025
I am once more in that overwhelmed and tender state of “have just finished a book by AJ Demas and i don’t know what to do with myself until the next one is released”. My heart is bursting at the seams yet again, her romances feel like crafted in a lab for me, like a designer drug.
I am really bad at keeping up with weekly
/monthly updates for any story, so I waited for the full book to be finished before reading it and I’m glad I did (I’d have bitten off all my nails otherwise). She had promised something darker than her usual fare, but I’m happy to report the heart of the story is the same kind, mature one that I love her writing for.
I’m excited to see how the trilogy will unfold: it has different beats to Sword & Wine trilogy already, with the first volume ending on a separation in a different tone entirely. But there is so much love to go around, I can’t wait to see how it will turn around.
I am really bad at keeping up with weekly
/monthly updates for any story, so I waited for the full book to be finished before reading it and I’m glad I did (I’d have bitten off all my nails otherwise). She had promised something darker than her usual fare, but I’m happy to report the heart of the story is the same kind, mature one that I love her writing for.
I’m excited to see how the trilogy will unfold: it has different beats to Sword & Wine trilogy already, with the first volume ending on a separation in a different tone entirely. But there is so much love to go around, I can’t wait to see how it will turn around.
June 22, 2026
I do love Alice Degan's alternate world 🌎 fantasy novels, and this one was full of the usual great banter, characters that get on your nerves [yes, you Faru], and others that you're rooting for right from the start.
Will Vanu track Lill down? Can Gurti ever have a 'proper' relationship with Tirtu, or will her dreadful husband always be in the way? The intrigue was strong in this one, and instalment 2 is keenly awaited. I'll try not to delete it from my kindle next time 😉, and pick it up again 5 months later. 4.5 stars rounded up, and book 2, The Summer Pass, is up for pre-order on Amazon.
Will Vanu track Lill down? Can Gurti ever have a 'proper' relationship with Tirtu, or will her dreadful husband always be in the way? The intrigue was strong in this one, and instalment 2 is keenly awaited. I'll try not to delete it from my kindle next time 😉, and pick it up again 5 months later. 4.5 stars rounded up, and book 2, The Summer Pass, is up for pre-order on Amazon.
April 21, 2026
This book drove me absolutely insane, one of them is a 6ft something mountain warlord who's been trapped a fortress for 3 years and the other is a beautiful and naive psychologically broken 18yo young assassin who's been brought in as the warlord's boy bride and he's ~not supposed to want it~ but he HAS TO kiss the kind and sexy warlord for his MISSION and he's never even TOUCHED HIMSELF literally actually insane I can't wait for book 2!!!!!
My only caveat is it's very much part 1 of 2, there's no HEA or HFN in this one
My only caveat is it's very much part 1 of 2, there's no HEA or HFN in this one
August 29, 2026
I was pretty dissatisfied with the structure of this book. Setups thrown around and not paid off, or paid off badly. Big reveals dropped any which way with no real effect, and then picked back up later. But then I learned it was written as a serial, and that checks out. It resulted in a more fanfic-y, less tight structure, which generally I don't like in books. But then again, I did read to the end and enjoy.
It's very cozy, given the subject matter, and is mostly about the hijinks of a small group of people stuck in a tiny village. It ends on a cliffhanger.
It's very cozy, given the subject matter, and is mostly about the hijinks of a small group of people stuck in a tiny village. It ends on a cliffhanger.
November 15, 2025
AJ Demas is an auto buy author for me. Another great read with interesting dynamics (societal, gender, relationship roles).
The only thing that took me aback was that it didn't end with a happily ever after or happy for now. I see that it is part of a series, so the couple's story must play out across multiple books. I suppose I will need to be patient!
The only thing that took me aback was that it didn't end with a happily ever after or happy for now. I see that it is part of a series, so the couple's story must play out across multiple books. I suppose I will need to be patient!
July 6, 2026
Fantastic!
A.J. Demas is one of those authors whose books I will buy as soon as they come out, and without even reading the description. This one might be her best yet. The story of the Boy Bride gripped me from the first page. The world Demas has created across her different books is so vivid and real, it’s hard to believe it isn’t real. I cannot wait until the second book!
A.J. Demas is one of those authors whose books I will buy as soon as they come out, and without even reading the description. This one might be her best yet. The story of the Boy Bride gripped me from the first page. The world Demas has created across her different books is so vivid and real, it’s hard to believe it isn’t real. I cannot wait until the second book!
July 7, 2026
There were moments that made 5 starts feel a leeeeetle generous (time jumps were not clearly delineated and took me a min to parse the change) ((but maybe I’m just too tired by life rn))
But idc, I love the world of AJD
But idc, I love the world of AJD
July 7, 2026
Good writing, good story, likable characters and great trope (for me). Love an arranged marriage, with secret assassination plans. Even the side characters weren't horribly annoying.
But I do wish it was a bit more condensed. And surely there's no reason to make it two books.
But I do wish it was a bit more condensed. And surely there's no reason to make it two books.
July 13, 2026
Oh my fucking GOD, I was not ready when the story of Lill the assassin and Vanu the rebel suddenly just stopped. It's a good thing the next one will be here September 30, so I don't have to wallow for too long.
September 7, 2026
The good stuff was genuinely good, unfortunately the book would not stop poking the one subject I specifically did not want poked. I spent too much of the book bracing for the next fucking rape reference to fully enjoy it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2025
furious I can't read the rest of this yet (because it's not yet written)
March 2, 2026
I’m so sad for Lill and Vanu. Need the next installment asap.
April 27, 2026
4.5 stars rounded up as it broke through my slump. Can’t wait for book 2!
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