The Descent

by M.A. Fitzgerald, Alysha Thornton (Editor)

Who do you become in the face of falling?

Elise had always coveted power and respect, and as the heir to the Icarian throne she felt that she deserved it. When told she would have to marry a man of lesser rank to be crowned—one who she hardly even knew—she was furious. Her life had been spent bowing to the whims of her mother and the royal council, all in efforts to distance herself from the poor reputation of her late father’s reign. Despite the outrage, she was willing to continue sacrificing to finally secure her legacy.

Her arranged nuptials had been meticulously planned, she had molded herself to become exactly who the council had imagined for the throne. Everything had been done right.

Almost everything.

Elise’s heart lies with someone else, a childhood friend who is now at the head of her Queen’s Guard. Their stolen moments have become more precarious. Though she wouldn’t dare dream of giving up her knight, the weight of the risk causes cracks to form in her carefully curated image. Everything she’s ever wanted threatens to slip from her grasp as secrets crawl out of the shadows. After all, the higher you float, the farther you have to fall.

372 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 15, 2026

Reviews

[Catt]

This had a well developed storyline and characters to follow! As I was reading, I was expecting more of a revenge storyline but it was more about redeeming oneself and finding their roots. Well written and smooth storyline. Enjoyed reading!

[caytlyn]

What an amazing story!! I swear I couldn’t put it down. The writing style was easy to follow along and kept me wanting more!! I would read it throughout all hours of the night. It kept me hooked!

I love a badass, confident, against the grain, FMC!!!! I enjoyed seeing Elise navigate her journey of grief, political/social expectations, self-discovery and just being a woman scrutinized for having a voice and opinion!!!

”She cut him off. “If the King has an issue with my request, you can relay to him that he can go fuck himself.” … love her lol

I also loved the elements of fantasy in the story!! There was a great mix of unique elements that made the story really intriguing. Different than anything I’ve read.

Amazing first book!! I can’t wait to hear more :D

[Felicia Newell]

I read this after receiving an ARC from the author, and I still find myself thinking about it. I read a lot of fantasy romance, so it’s always exciting when a book stands out, and this one definitely did. It was also incredibly well written, with engaging prose that made it easy to get completely immersed in the story. I loved the blend of political intrigue, forbidden romance, and character growth. Elise was such an interesting protagonist, and I was invested in her story from the start. The world-building was easy to get into, the pacing kept me turning the pages, and the ending left me excited for what’s next. I’m really looking forward to book two!

[Kathryn]

Recieved ARC from author

Man. When I first got this I was like mmm, interesting. The more I got into it, the more I didn't want to put it down. I was late for work trying to finish this book haha.

If you enjoy Throne of Glass, Bridgeton, and maybe even GOT you will enjoy this book (minus the dragons), I highly recommend this book. Its the first book in a while that I couldn't wait to pick back up to read.

I don't want to give any spoilers but the main character is a bad ass, and Adrian, man I would love to see more from them both. I will hold out hope for another book.

[Kiersten]

This book was SO GOOD! From a first time author, the book was incredibly well written. I hated when I had to put it down and it was enticing throughout. Each twist and foreshadowing worked so well together.
The writing style of this book was like watching a movie in every page that I flipped. So easy to envision and feel like you were apart of it.
I cannot wait to read more from Meg and to see what else may transpire from Elise’s trials in what I hope will be a second book.

[Lezlee!!]

Review of Advanced Reader Copy received from Author

Took a few chapters to get into but once I was into it I couldn't put it down! So many unexpected twists that kept me completely hooked. As someone who reads a lot of fantasy romance, this was super unique! Can't wait to read more from this author :)

[Jessica Parsons]

This was a great read and I would thoroughly recommend it. The pacing was good though personally the naivety of the FMC was annoying early on, her development was well done and the story really took off and leaves you wanting to read more.
I look forward to seeing where this story continues to go!

[Lauren Flynn]

Received this as an advanced copy from the author, without knowing much except it was a fantasy novel! But this was definitely a page turner, I couldn’t put it down and finished it the same day I started!

[Chantell Joy]

Loved this book! I read a lot of Fantasy/Romance, so it's really something special when I'm still thinking about it weeks later. This book caught my attention from the beginning, and I cannot wait for book 2!

[Lindsay]

4.5⭐️

Fabulous read! This book kept bringing me back, it was different than any other romantacy I've read. I found the FMC Elise to be....slightly annoying, childish, and sheltered, BUT I loved watching her grow as a person. It kept me guessing throughout! Would definitely recommend!

[Ashley]

A killer debut novel. I feel a part of a special group having gotten to read it before it became popular (because it will).