Veil of Deceit

Hopelessly Bound #1

by A.R. Conwell

Official cover and blurb coming soon but here's what you have to look forward to...Royal politicsThe Seven Havens world you know + loveSlow burn Emotional rollercoaster

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Closed Door Romance, Clean Romance, Fiction

330 pages, Paperback

Published June 24, 2026

Reviews

[Coley · Rating 5 out of 5]

hey sorry it’s 1am WHAT THE CRAP IS THAT ENDING


Real review now that i've calmed down lmao

When I saw that Finn was going to be our main protagonist for this trilogy I was THRILLED. Such a sweet, sad boy UGH I love everything about him. I really enjoyed getting to be inside his head and understand him better; he's such a layered character and his gift is so hard for him to come to terms with!

Let me talk about Lucianna for a second here. She was *such* a difficult character at times, and yet I was rooting for her the whole book. I think the author did an absolutely fantastic job at writing a FMC who has very real faults and shortcomings that MADE SENSE FOR HER CHARACTER ARC. There was one line that really stood out to me, "Lucianna was torn between fear and resignation. Self-control was all she had. What would she do if it was ripped away?" At another time in the story, one of the characters explained that Lu was used to being a weapon that was wielded instead of a person to be protected and my jaw completely dropped, because it was like all the pieces of Lu's character were falling into place. It was incredible, and I'm so excited to see how she grows as a character in the next two books.

Finn and Lu TOGETHER is a whole new ballgame for the both of them. They both (unintentionally) play right into the other's insecurities, and this first book was really them getting to know each other and figure out how the heck they're going to make their marriage work, on top of, oh, y'know, making sure that they're able to save the world from going to war. No biggie! I thought the escapades of this first book were SO fun, and I was absolutely blown away by the author's writing per usual. I stayed up until 1am reading, and when I got to the last page I was hyperventilating and losing my mind lol. I am so invested in all of the characters, and can't wait for Book 2!

[Kortnee - The Closed Door Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overview:

Language 🤐: None

Romance ❤️‍🔥: LV 1 kisses on cheeks only this far (I mean Cas and Wren do kiss to but that’s not descriptive, cuz it’s from others POV)

Violence ⚔️: On page sword fights not graphic, talk of pass kills again lightly descriptive

⚠️Grief, Loss of parents mentioned, author has content warnings at the beginning of the book⚠️

Tropes/Micro tropes
- Dual POV
- Arranged Marriage
- Dangerous Voyage/Mission
- Secrets
- One Bed
- Forced Proximity
- She wears his clothes
- Duels one another
- All the teasing and pushing one another’s buttons
- He saves her
- He falls first
- Protective MMC
- Strong Untrusting FMC
- Nicknames

My Thoughts:

6⭐️

OH MY GOODNESS THAT ENDING 😱😱😱 That was SO RUDE to end it like that (but also I love a good cliffhanger that leaves me needing the next book yesterday)!!

You don’t need to read the Obsidian Academy Duet before this one but I think you will miss out on so much if you haven’t! So I highly highly recommend reading those before starting this book!

I absolutely loved this story! I adored Finn in the Obsidian Academy and was so excited to get his story. I was not disappointed at all! This book was such a ride!

I felt for Finn and Lucianna from the beginning of this story! Man does this story play with my heart strings for these two as they face a marriage neither of them asked for but they are both trying to figure out how to make it work in some way.

Lucianna is such a wonderful fiery character who has so much she is grappling with and trying to work through. I felt for her even when I was frustrated with her! (Had to remind myself she doesn’t know Finn like we do) I loved her character and the banter her and Finn developed throughout the story!

Finn oh sweet Finn how much more I came to love his character throughout this story! Seeing him grapple with his own struggles inside this marriage and his gift causing him to wonder as well. I’m just so excited for this next book to learn more about both of these two. I definitely love Finn even more than I did before which is saying something!

You guys the banter and teasing is top notch in this story! The nickname 🤩, the sword fight, the several other occasions when they just can not help but push each other to the limit of their patience 😅

Seeing a bit of Cas a Wren was also the cherry on top of this story! I loved so much seeing their sweet marriage and interactions with Finn and the rest of the crew. All the crew members are wonderful and I’m excited to get to know them even better.

I love this story and am so ready for the next step in this crazy adventure! The whole story was an amazing ride but especially those last few chapters were quite the rollercoaster! I can’t recommend this book enough!

I thank the author for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own! 😊

[✨Ruthie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pre-read
EK! So excited!!😍🥳✨


Read

LOVE!! Can't wait for the 2nd!!!

After Read thoughts

Once again, A. R. Conwell does not dissapoint. The descriptions were so compelling and immersive, which is what I love best. The romance is well-paced, and Finn is such a darling 😍

PLUS!!!!!WREN IS PREGNANT!!! THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR!!!!! *screech*

[Holly (IG Hollys_Book_Musings) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I'll always come for you."

Veil of Deceit by A. R. Conwell

Wow! oh Wow! A. R. Conwell has done it again in her newest Romantasy.
Veil of Deceit was quite the ride and I enjoyed every word of it!This is a marriage of convenience between Finnick, a side character in the Obsidian Academy duology and also my favorite might I add, and Lucianna. Ooh I love these two so much! They both bring a past into this marriage alliance and we see glimpses of both as the story progresses. Conwell did an excellent job at creating the tension and angst between these two. Their banter is top notch and oh boy, I cannot wait for book 2!

I loved the action and adventure of a sea voyage to perform a heist, the sea creatures, the pirates! In this one we get an expanded world from the duology and I am so here for it all!

Absolutely loved this one and ugh that cliffhanger sure left me hanging. Probably one of the craziest cliffhangers I've ever read!
Definitely highly recommend this one.

Content Guide:
Language: none
Sexual Content: Kissing only, married couple are attracted to each other and we get their thoughts on their spouse, shared bed for sleep
Violence/gore: Moderate-violence involving humans fighting other humans with swords, guns, humans fighting creatures, peril
Substance Use: Mild-some occasional drinking
Prejudices: none
Religious Content: none
Other: Controlling father, guilt
Book Info:
Series: Hopelessly Bound book 1
Genre: Romantasy
Romance Level: Kissing only (shared bed between married couple)Release Date: Available Now
Publisher: Indie
POV: Dual Third Person

Thank you to the Author for the review copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Alicia (aliciasalwaysreading)]

I had the privilege of proofreading this one, and it was AMAZING! If you loved Ocean of Ink and Tides of Secrets, Veil of Deceit will not disappoint.

[Haley Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Veil of Deceit @authorarconwell
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🫑 Kisses only
No profanity - (one made up curse)

Veil of Deceit was a highly anticipated book for me! A no spice romantasy where we are sailing across a monster filled sea for a dangerous heist with an unlikely crew and your new wife who doesn't want to be your wife from an arranged marriage?!
Immediately yes!
I fell in love with Finn's character in Ocean of Ink + Tides of Secrets and could not wait to get my hands on Veil of Deceit to continue his story! You don't have to read it first to understand this one but you will want to anyway because it's also SO very good!

This was the perfect start to the trilogy!

High seas adventure
Dangerous heist
Found family
Arranged marriage

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 Stars!

Absolutely Incredible! I was curious how well the start of this new series would live up to The Obsidian Academy Duet, and to my absolute shock…this book was totally on par with it! I’m amazed at how well it was written and how phenomenally new characters were brought into the original crew!

✨ Arranged Marriage
✨ Dangerous Mission
✨ Bargains
✨ He Falls First
✨ No Spice
✨ Nicknames
✨ Slow Burn

Finn was amazing in The Obsidian Academy Duet, but my goodness he got even better in this book! Not only do you get to see his charming personality, you also get to see a deeper side that was only briefly mentioned in the first two books. Lucianna was a new character in this series and I absolutely ADORED her as the FMC! She is fierce and loyal, yet so guarded and hesitant! I literally can’t wait to see how she changes in books 2 & 3!

🌶️ No Spice
🤬 No Language

The ending absolutely wrecked me. WHAT!? The book was absolutely worth the cliffhanger though, I’m genuinely SO excited for the rest of the series! I loved the entire storyline and am on the edge of my seat to see how it continues in book 2

Side Note: You technically don’t have to read The Obsidian Academy Duet first, BUT I totally recommend that you do! First of all, it’s phenomenal AND you’ll already know a few of the characters and understand some references that are made as well!

** I’m so thankful to have the opportunity to be an arc reader for this book! All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own!

[Gemma · Rating 5 out of 5]

O. M. G. I am at a loss for words. I literally stared into space contemplating my life decisions for ten freaking minutes after finishing this book. You are MEAN for making the book end in that cliffhanger 😭 if you haven’t already, GO READ THIS BOOK. The characters and tension are perfect and i love how developed their personalities and struggles are. It’s so amazing to watch them slowly begin to trust each other more 💜 100/10!!

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved visiting this world again! When I saw darling Finn was going to be in an arranged marriage I was intrigued, to say the least. Finn is Gifted with charisma and charm, and his new wife Lucianna is Gifted at stealing others’ voices. I really felt for him because Lucianna was EXTREMELY distrustful of him, to the point where it felt like he was not going to be able to redeem himself in her eyes. I really enjoyed seeing Cas and Wren again, and meeting the heist crew was equally enjoyable. I felt like there was a lot of action on their journey, with just as much intrigue between secrets being kept and the slow burn between Finn and Luci. I’m very much looking forward to book two, as that cliffhanger was brutal and there’s so much story left to be told!

[sam | the bookish soul · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an ARC read.
I was so looking forward to this book after the amazing Obsidian Academy duet, and it truly was wonderful to be back with Castien and Wren and Finn. I loved the major role the couple (C+W) played in this story! To be honest, this was harder to read than I thought it would be. Don’t get me wrong, the writing is still top tier and beautiful. The story, though, was heartbreaking. I found myself not caring too much for Lucianna, the FMC. All of her actions towards Finn seemed to be too harsh. I did appreciate Finn’s ever witty banter, and the new crew additions to the plot. They were a fun mix in.
While I was happy to be back in this world and do not regret reading it, I did struggle with it. I am anticipating the next book in the series though.

[Brittnee · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐

• Dual POVs
• Marriage alliance
• Sibling bonds
• Pirates & sea monsters
• A journey by sea
• Secrets
• Open-hearted vs Trusts No One

Finn, one of my favorite side characters from the Obsidian Academy is the main character in this series. (Castien & Wren, the main characters from the Obsidian Academy, are side characters in this book.) This book takes place around 2 years after the Obsidian Academy Duet. This is a fast paced story with found family and forced proximity with the 2 MCs. I'm looking forward to seeing where this story goes next!

Received an ARC, opinions are my own.

[Charity - cleanreads_messyhouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

OBSESSED IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT!! I adored this one. First off, an arranged marriage where one half is our adorably roguish and charming Finn and the other half is our incredibly witty and bold Lucianna? Sold. Seriously. These two are PERFECT for each other.

It’s got high seas adventures, monsters, chivalrous men, banter that will have you giggling and swooning, strong women, and TWISTS.

WARNING: that ending is a cliff hanger and I’m so ready for book two!!

[books (samaira's version)]

Noooo how could it end like that... rtc!!

[Colby Starling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew before I started this book that I was going to love it but I never could have imagined just how much. From page one I was invested in Finn and Lucianna's story and felt like I couldn't read fast enough, but I was not prepared for that cliffhanger! The next book cannot come fast enough!

[Emisreadingfantasy · Rating 5 out of 5]

That ending should be illegal!

What a wonderfully cruel and genius way to leave us all on the edge until the next book comes out 😭

Seriously though, this book is fantastic! The writing is beautiful and poetic with such vivid world building! I loved every minute of being back in this world!

Finnick Valengard is every inch the tragic man I thought he would be. Seeing why he is the way he is was simultaneously the most fun and heartbreaking.

Lucianna is such a well written FMC! She is flawed in ways that make sense for her character and I love how much I relate to every one of her flaws. It just made her feel more real! In some instances with the enemies to lovers trope, the FMC can tend to be prickly and rude just for the sake of it - but that was most certainly not the case here! I've also noticed that sometimes as readers we are quick to forgive a flawed MMC more than we are a flawed or difficult FMC, but rant aside, I am very much looking forward to the continuation of Lu's character arc!

One last thing that I loved about this book - every single second we saw Cas and Wren together!!! I literally screamed with excitement every time they did something adorable…which was basically every time they interacted!!

[Andrea Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh my gosh. i don’t even have words to describe how amazing this book was!! i’m genuinely struggling to accept the fact that i can’t read the next book until next year 😭

[Danielle | TheReadingDanielleMcBride · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

🏴‍☠️⚓️Veil of Deceit⚓️🏴‍☠️

“She longed for battle.
And her husband granted her desire.”

Veil of Deceit was the perfect beginning for a trilogy- no matter how much that ending made me want to jump ship.
My love for these characters cannot be explained. I absolutely loved all the new characters as well!

I just wanted to hug Finnick for the entirety of the book. I wanted to shake Lucianna a bit but she’s growing on me.
I already know their love story is going to wreck me in the best way - & they better have a HEA or so help me Conwell!!!

I devoured this story & I will definitely be reading it again soon!

[Clare Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy from the author in exchange for my honest review here.

Oh my goodness…I finished this book last night and I cannot stop thinking about this story and these characters! This book is so good! Fantasy/Romantasy is not my go-to or preferred genre, and arranged marriage is not a favorite trope of mine; but Veil of Deceit made me rethink my preferences. It’s a gripping read that kept my attention—I had to know what would happen next (which makes the cliffhanger ending hard to swallow)! Seriously, this book has something for everyone!

The story opens with Finn and Lucianna finding themselves in an arranged marriage against their wills. This arranged marriage is different from most because it’s part of a larger plan (subplot?) to create an elite, gifted team that goes on a high-stakes mission to save the Seven Kingdoms. The tension between Finn and Lucianna plays out as they navigate their marriage, learning about each other and struggling against themselves. I enjoyed their banter and their relationship struggles feel real. I cheered for them, wanted to shake each of them a few times, and most of all can’t wait to see how they continue to grow into themselves and in their relationship. I could completely relate to Lucianna trying to protect herself and her freedom of choice; she resonated with me and I want to know her better! Finn’s internal struggles to be his Gift or be himself, and how that impacts his day to day feelings was an enjoyable surprise to me— I love that Finn has some real darkness to deal with and he’s not just a typical charmer/ golden retriever typecast.

While Finn and Lucianna are the main characters of the story, there are several lovable side characters. The rest of the crew play an integral role and develop dynamic personalities. I honestly felt like part of the crew at times! I really like how the story builds around the crew even as it centers on Finn and Lucianna. There is so much banter, wit, action and love built into this story—it flies by and leaves you wanting more.

You’ll love reading about Finn, Lucianna, and the rest of the crew if you like:
⚔️ action and adventure (without gory detail)
🪎 covert missions for mysterious treasure
🥷spies, thieves, warriors and alchemists as found family
❤️‍🔥 slow burn romance with lots of longing
🪄some fantasy elements that enhance the characters and storyline


A few things to note:
This is the first of a trilogy and ends on a cliffhanger. Knowing I wouldn’t get my resolved ending helped me stomach the end of the book…but waiting a year for more will be the real test of will! (Yes, it really is that good!)
This is part of a fantasy world introduced in The Obsidian Academy duet. You can absolutely enjoy this as is, but having read the other books makes this read very enjoyable! (And spoils some major plot points of the other books, if you read them out of order)
I am not an avid romantasy reader, and generally have a hard time understanding mythical hierarchies, rules, graphic post apocalyptic worlds, etc. This book has fantasy elements that are easy to understand (for ppl like me) and enhances the story. If you haven’t enjoyed this genre in the past, or haven’t tried it yet, I’d highly recommend you try this book! It’s a good story and a great read.

[Kristi W - Book Love By Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I am a man of my word,” he growled. “I will have no other. I am yours and you are mine.”

This arranged marriage story has a Pirates of the Caribbean meets Ocean’s Eleven vibe. I was hooked from the first page to the last. Danger, suspense, yearning, and tension abound. And that ending!!! 😳 It’s going to be a hard wait for book two.

Finn! Now, I knew I loved Finn from the Obsidian Academy duology, but now I LOVE him even more. Finn is tender-hearted, charismatic, and full of self-doubt. My heart broke for him multiple times, especially when he donned his mask of happiness. One of his greatest desires is to be loved and accepted for himself, I can’t wait for the fulfillment of that desire. I loved that he was slightly possessive of Lucianna! I loved that even though she didn’t trust him and hurt him he still treated her with gentleness, care, and respect. Lucianna is wary, brave, and full of secrets. I enjoyed seeing her gift and I am excited to see how she uses it in the future. She has a strong mistrust of Finn. Her internal struggle between her feelings and that mistrust was intense. I loved the chemistry between Finn and Lucianna. I loved their banter and teasing and the way they can rile each other up. And their duel, amazing! I honestly am so excited to see how their relationship develops as they learn to understand and accept one another.

There is an amazing supporting cast of characters, each adding to the crew and story perfectly. Wren and Castien! I loved seeing Wren and Cas as a married couple. I especially loved their love and support of Finn. The three of them have a fantastic bond!

A few more quotes:
He pretended to be the ringmaster, but in reality, he was walking a tightrope.

“I’m going to do much more than glare at you if you don’t show me where we’re supposed to go,” she groused. “Don’t tempt me with sweet promises, little thief. I can’t be distracted from the job at hand.” “The only temptation present between us is the one to kill you in your sleep.”

“Is that your way of saying I was impressive?” “If you want to impress me, you’re going to have to try harder than that,” she replied. He grinned. “Noted.”

“You speak as though you know me intimately,” he growled. Her breath caught at his choice of words. “But you do not. If you did, you would understand that I have spent the entirety of our marriage holding back, despite how regularly you test my limits.”

Note: This is book one in a new series. It is set in the same world as the Obsidian Academy duology. If you haven’t read that duology there will be pretty major spoilers.

This complimentary copy was provided by the author. I was not required to give a positive review, rating and opinions are my own.

[Reagan Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Returning back to AR Conwell’s fantasy world was AMAZING and on a pirate heist adventure 🏴‍☠️ Sign me up! This hate at first sight marriage of convenience 💍 was absolutely riveting 😍 and THE CLIFFHANGER 🫨 I kept seeing reviews mention it and 😭 I’m with you because OUCH 💔 😭

Lucianna. A line I adored was “Lucianna saw herself as a weapon” 🗡️ and I feel this captures her so well 🥺 As this is the first in a trilogy, we only get to see the very beginning of what is bound to be an amazing character arc ❤️‍🩹 With trust issues to spare 🤫 and quick verbal replies 🗡️ Lucianna is a feisty FMC who keeps you on your toes🔥 I loved being able to read about her softer sides while in her POV and I can’t wait to see her warm up to the crew 🏴‍☠️ and to Finn 😏 in the next book. I already know it’s going to be ❤️‍🔥

Finn. Oh Finn 😭 we all need to take a moment for the BLOND hair 💛 he’d appreciate that 😂 oh my gosh his character was everything and more! The perfect balance to Lucianna, Finn is battling his inner demons but instead of the thorns Lucianna has, Finn is the rosebud 🌹 same flower, different parts 💖 There were so many moments where Finn felt so real to me 😭 the depth we got from him just makes me crave more 😭

Guys. Moment of squealing for the crew 🧘‍♀️ from Cora and Petals being FREAKINGADORABLE 🥰 to Kaiden and Kelwin (I would die for Kelwin) they were fantastic 🥹 and of course we have our faves Castien and Wren being so in love and happy 💞

All that to say. This book wrecked me more than the Heartless Tides wrecks ships 🌊 and y’all should join me as we wait at the edge of our seats for book 2 😌

⚠️ CW: violence, depression, mention of su*cidal thoughts (brief and done with care), on page panic attack, monsters, grief ⚠️

[Torie’s Book Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my favorite AR Conwell book to date and one of my favorite books I read so far this year!

Lucianna was raised to be a thief and a spy and has the ability to steal other people’s voices. She was the perfect assets to the heist crew. Her upbringing gave her flaws I see people all the time praise in MMCs but for some reasons make the FMCs insufferable. Her distain for Finnick is valid. She married a stranger who has the gift of charm and along with her upbringing and Grimhaven lineage, of course she’s terrified of many things happening. Changing her voice was the one thing she felt like she had a choice in. Her father made every move for her and that is weighing her. I can definitely see her potential and growth that I hope we’ll see in the next book!!

Finnick is just simply one of my favorite MMC I’ve ever read. His inner turmoil with his gift of charm and people liking for just him was beautifully written. He’s teasing with Lucianna was something I loved reading throughout the book. His shell is breaking a little bit by bit with her and certainly looks like he’s going to be falling first and hard. (chapter 39, iykyk!) I loved his reaction to her saying thank you for rescuing her from falling overboard. 😍

I adored seeing married Castien and Wren. Castien hasn’t changed one bit in only really paying attention to her. Wren being able to participate in fights made me cheer for her! Wren having a baby made me smile but I’m so interested to see how this is going to since they haven’t completed the heist yet.

[Dorothy Brundage · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness, this book was everything I had hoped it to be and more! I received an ARC and was incredible thankful because I don’t think I could’ve waited two more weeks for the book to officially come out haha.

The world Conwell has built is so fascinating and I am always left hungry for more. The monsters? The powers? The unique characters. I absolutely loved getting to know our dearest Finnick more, he is one of my favorite MMCs possibly out there.

Conwell is a master storyteller and has gotten the art of a true slow burn DOWN. The small romantic bits we got were incredible and had me kicking my feet. I can not wait to see Lucianna & Finnick’s relationship take sail.

Also, all the Wren & Castien moment had my heart soaring. They are the sweetest! Their story/relationship will forever be one of my favorites.

The ending was brutal so I think I speak for many that we need book two as soon as possible 🫠 but all in all this was SUCH an incredible joyful read. I loved every second of it and was not bored once. Every moment had me eager to turn the page to see what happened next.

[Megatron · Rating 4 out of 5]

||⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️||

What a ride that was! 🥴

I had a pretty good time reading this book! It was incredibly atmospheric, easy to imagine, and the storytelling made it seem like I was on the ship with them! The nautical vibes are 😮‍💨🤌🏻 TOP TIER ⚓️

Our two MC’s are Finn and Lucianna, along with a side cast of characters of old friends and new. I really enjoyed getting to read about Wren and Castien here and there, and the new friends were a joy to get to know as well! I need more Petals! 🌸💪🏼

Finn is obviously as charming as ever in this book, and such a joy to read more of, but the DEPTH at which we get to go with him was amazing. Experiencing the dynamic realness of his struggles and inner thoughts made me emotional! LOVE HIM.

Although Lucianna never grew on me, Im excited to see where the story goes in the second book!

And of course a huge and genuine thank you to Annah for the ARC. Its such a pleasure to read your books! ❤️

[Reading with Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me so giddy! 🤭

This book made me laugh, blush, smile (a lot) and kick my feet.😁 It’s a no spice romantasy with a witty mmc and a stubborn fmc.

🗒️If you love : Arranged marriage, family bonds, banter, high stakes, enemies to lovers, and slow burn love. Then definitely pick this read up! 📚🔥

Some of my favorite quotes😍:

"Don't worry, Mrs. Valengard, I'm all yours," he drolled.

"I'm a little tired, but if you ask nicely, I might be inclined to put on a show for you," he said with a smirk. "You're afforded such privileges, being that you're my wife."

"Pirates are coming to raid our ship, and you are asking to help me dress?" she seethed.

Is it a clean read?🤔
🌶️No spice
🫢No language
♥️No lgbtq characters

I was so very lucky to be an arc reader for “Veil of Deception” Thank you so much A.R. Conwell! 😊

This review is all my honest thoughts and opinions! 📚♥️

[Readingmytbrlist · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 — The last 30% of this book is phenomenal. I think there’s a very strong beginning set up for book 2. If you loved the obsidian academy duet you’ll really enjoy this book! Finn is one of the most lovely characters I’ve read with depth and heart. Lucianna’s character has so much growth left, but that’s the beauty of this being a slow burn trilogy!

One of my issues with this book is the pacing. The first 50% felt so slow to me and the writing tense was very clunky and overbearing at times. If these issues had not been present this would easily be a 6 star read for me.

Thank you Annah for the arc copy! That was a dream come true. All thoughts are my own 💖

[Alexiani G · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be the first book this was perfect. We got to have a glimpse of every single character, the writer was able to present the characters from her previous two books in a way that makes readers know them without the need to make the book boring for those of us that actually read the other two books.

My heart hurt for most of this book, is unfair to have my beautiful Fin suffer in the way he did here (emotionally) and I really do need the next one because I'm pretty sure he's in big trouble.

Loved the world, loved the characters, loved the magic and the plot we got was enough to make me feel invested. I have a feeling this book will be like those of Tahereh, one short book that once the other two come out, it could be one massive consecutive story

[Tiffany Hubbard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sorry still losing my everloving mind at the end of this book so this review is going to just be a stream of thoughts:
Banter, yes sir
Flirtiness, delectable
Tension, could cut it with a knife
Secrets, a heist, monsters, pirates, fighting, chaos

📖: 3rd person, dual POV
🤬: no foul language
🌶️: none
⚠️: death, grief, lying/secrets

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was no doubt from the Obsidian Academy duet that Finn is a great character, but the depth that Conwell was able to pull out here was incredible… for Lucianna too! I cannot wait to see these 2 figure one another out in book 2… and I should’ve known better than to read book 1 without the second in hand 🫠🫠 cliffhanger of the century!

Major spoilers for the first series, so for sure start with Ocean of Ink and Tides of Secrets before coming here!

[Abbey :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

1. No one deserves Finn
2. Wren and Castien r lowk rage baiters who needa get a life
3. this cliffhanger actually wrecked me

[Eliza LeFevre · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the second book was already out. I AM NOT OKAY WITH THAT ENDING