The Thread That Binds Us

by Helena Potter

Fates Woven. Power Strung. Worlds Torn.
Yiva Ulfrik drinks to forget, gambles to feel alive, and lies to herself about the power burning beneath her skin. Magic capable of sundering the boundaries between worlds. A reckless cartographer with a sharp tongue, she believes staying numb is the only way to survive. When Yiva is claimed by decree and conscripted into a deadly quest, she is dragged to the Citadel and forced into gruelling training and dangerous trials, under the tutelage of Aksel Veythar, an elven warrior of lethal precision. This is no call to glory but a descent toward ruin. A mission that will send her through an unstable portal to recover a worlds-altering artifact. Plagued by unanswered questions, Yiva digs deeper, uncovering truths that threaten to dismantle a kingdom built on lies. With the Veil stirring and desire burning where it shouldn’t, survival demands Yiva become what she fears most.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Romantasy, Slow Burn, Audiobook

430 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 11, 2026

Reviews

[Dominique Bates]

DNF @ 30%

Book Description:
Fates Woven. Power Strung. Worlds Torn.

Yiva Ulfrik drinks to forget, gambles to feel alive, and lies to herself about the power burning beneath her skin. Magic capable of sundering the boundaries between worlds. A reckless cartographer with a sharp tongue, she believes staying numb is the only way to survive.

When Yiva is claimed by decree and conscripted into a deadly quest, she is dragged to the Citadel and forced into gruelling training and dangerous trials, under the tutelage of Aksel Veythar, an elven warrior of lethal precision.

This is no call to glory but a descent toward ruin. A mission that will send her through an unstable portal to recover a worlds-altering artifact. Plagued by unanswered questions, Yiva digs deeper, uncovering truths that threaten to dismantle a kingdom built on lies.

With the Veil stirring and desire burning where it shouldn’t, survival demands Yiva become what she fears most.
______

I want to start this review by saying that these opinions are my own however my review could very well differ from yours. This is a really lovely debut from the author however I felt that the pacing for the book was quite slow and the world building was descriptive in a way that it made it a little difficult for me to absorb. I found myself at times having to re-look at pages that I had read so that I could remember who the character/setting was. This in no way downgrades the beautiful way that Helena writes her world. Just was not resonating for me personally.

In addition, I wanted to feel more of a pull between the main characters. There was times where their own inner monologue was saying that they were attracted to each other but then we were reminded that there is a division between them.

Overall, it does have some interesting characters and magic systems that I could see being developed further, it just did not pull me in as a reader as much as I would have liked.

This story may not have been for me, but it could be for you.

Thank you to Helena Potter & New Dawn Publishing for the physical ARC for this book.

[Chanel Chapters]

This read like YA

[Abbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC from this incredible author, allowing me to devour this book before its official release in August yay!

Named as one of four tributes forced to go on a dangerous quest to collect a relic for a power-hungry king, Yiva Ulfrik must train with an elven warrior known as the deadly King’s Blade all whilst learning to understand and control the magic that both terrifies and threatens to consume all that she is.

Yiva is that FMC that bursts into the room like a storm of fresh air you didn’t realise you needed until you met her. She is not your typical female lead in a romantasy and honestly, within seconds I absolutely loved her for it. She is reckless and flawed, stubborn to a fault and yet still follows her soft heart despite all that she’s been through.

The King’s Blade, Aksel Veythar is a weapon made into flesh—and so much more. He loves fiercely (once he allows himself to), is haunted by what it means to be his nickname and yearns above all else for peace after many lifetimes of war.

One of my favourite things about this book is the world building, rich, intricate lore, descriptive language that enthrals the reader without being heavy, info-dumping or difficult to follow. Yiva’s job as a cartographer is described in such a fascinating way, she could have a whole book just about all the lost cities she’s mapped!

I see so many romantasy books having an insta-love/insta-lust story nowadays but Yiva and Aksel’s romance felt as natural as breathing. It was a slow burn that simmers gently coaxing to boil an undeniable love that is real and enduring, we have a tribute and her commander, a student and teacher relationship that moves past the point of forbidden and straight into dangerous territory, for the quest takes all precedence and the threat of wondering if they’ll survive it makes the desire moulding into a surrendering love that much more thrilling to read.

If you love portal quests, high stakes fantasy, lots of LOTR references, FMCs who aren’t great warriors and badass MMCs who yearn for even just the softest touch of her hand in his (hehehe) then this book is for you!

[BuildABookcase · Rating 4 out of 5]

*ARC reader*
thank you to Netgalley for providing this ARC.

Rating: 3.75/5 stars

This read took a surprising turn, I started off finding the pacing exceptionally slow and it was somewhat difficult to first get into the story but somewhere before the halfway point the pace really began to pick up and I found myself stuck, needing to know where this was going.
Ultimately, this ended up being an aaaalmost 4 star read for me with the early drag on the pacing pulling the rating down a bit.

The narration for this was fantastic, I don't believe that i have heard any audiobooks narrated by Rose Riley previously but i will certainly keep a lookout for her work in the future.

Going back to the review of the books itself, the world felt interesting and the character building was really well executed, and to top it off I found the magic system really fun. I do wish there had been a bit more exploration of certain plotpoints that felt like they were wrapped up just a little bit too quickly, and i would love to see more of the worldbuildning and the magic in any upcoming books in the series.
As a whole, this was a really enjoyable romantasy and I think that for a debut novel this has been truly great. I can't wait to get this as a physical copy on my bookshelf and to see how both the story and the author developes in the future.

[ReadingInPyjamas · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars
I had fun listening to this audiobook, even if it took me a while to fully settle into the story. The magic system was fresh and intriguing, Yeva was a delightfully rebellious heroine, and the enemies to lovers dynamic delivered some great banter. The real standout thought was the audiobook. Rose Riley's narration was absolutely fantastic, with a distinct voice and personality for every character, making it effortless to stay immersed in the story. Her performance added so much emotion and energy that it elevated the entire experience. Some plot threads wrapped up a little too quickly, and i would have loved even more exploration of the world and magic, but this was still a thoroughly enjoyable romantasy debut. I'm curious to see where the series goes next!

Thank you to Bolinda Audio and NetGalley for the ALC!

[Valencia · Rating 4 out of 5]

*thank you to New Dawn for gifting me a free ARC in exchange for an honest review*

𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬, 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐢𝐜 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐬, 𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐬, 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬, 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐓𝐁𝐑.

The Thread That Binds Us is an amazing debut, it is ambitious, it is messy and it is intriguing. Helena has created a world with so much potential and I'm genuinely really excited to see where this story goes next!


𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱:
One of my favourite things about The Thread That Binds Us was that Yiva isn't introduced as an effortlessly competent, instantly lovable fantasy heroine. She is messy, self-destructive, angry and incredibly stubborn, and her tendency to push people away can genuinely make you want to shake her but that's also what makes her journey feel earned.

She doesn't suddenly become a master fighter or wake up one day with everything figured out. Her growth takes time, and watching her slowly confront the reasons she has spent so long running from herself was one of the most rewarding parts of the story. As someone who enjoys being part of that journey rather than having a ‘chosen one’ FMC in recent times, this scratched my brain in ALL the right places.

The world itself also has a lot going for it and is written with such beautiful prose that brought the whole world to life. I really enjoyed the emphasis on cartography, the portals and the magic surrounding the boundaries between worlds. There's a richness to the lore that made me want to keep exploring, and I particularly liked that the fantasy elements felt connected to the larger mysteries rather than existing purely as background decoration.

And then there is the romance. This is for the readers who want slow burn to actually mean SLOW BURN. Yiva and Aksel's relationship develops through restraint, proximity and all those little moments where you know something is changing long before either of them is willing to admit it. Aksel, especially, is very much for the readers who enjoy a stoic, lethal man becoming increasingly obvious about the fact that he would do anything for one particular person. The yearning was yearning hard.

I also loved the gradual development of the found family. The relationships are FAR from being immediately warm and fuzzy, which made the eventual camaraderie, banter and trust feel much more satisfying. By the end, I was far more invested in this little group than I expected to be.


𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲:
My biggest issue was probably the pacing, particularly in the first half. There is a lot of world-building and information to absorb, and while I appreciated the ambition behind the world, I sometimes found myself waiting for the plot to really gain momentum. Once more of the mysteries began unfolding, I became much more invested, but I think a tighter first half would have made the overall story more immediately gripping.

I initially had some mixed feelings about the romance and although I agree it is definitely on the slow burner, I felt that there was probably too much immediate awareness between Yiva and Aksel that made it quite clear early on that there was some attraction between them. I could understand Yiva’s curiosity towards him as he’s quite literally an elf from legends themselves but I would have preferred that interest to develop more organically. I personally prefer when both attraction and emotional intimacy gradually emerge rather than something that keeps pulling them towards each other’s orbits from the beginning.

There were also a few plot points and reveals that I wanted the story to linger on for longer. Some moments felt like they had the potential for an even greater emotional or narrative payoff, but were occasionally resolved or moved past a little too quickly especially when the pace started to pick up. I found myself wanting more time to explore certain aspects of the world and the consequences of some of the larger discoveries down the track.

[Melissa Kincaid · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Thread That Binds Us is an addictive, high-stakes romantasy debut and the first instalment in a gripping trilogy. It follows reckless cartographer Yiva Ulfrik, who is conscripted into a deadly quest and forced to train under Aksel Veythar, a tall, dark and mysterious elven warrior.

There was SO much to love about this story! The magic system was incredibly unique, and I really enjoyed the different take on elves too. They’re kind of like immortal fae vampires, which was such a fun twist! I also loved the friendships and romance, both of which were slow, earned and developed naturally throughout the story.

I really liked Yiva. She was hard, dry and rough around the edges, while also dealing with the loss of a friend and a power she doesn’t feel she’s earned. She’s not your typical effortlessly confident FMC, and I enjoyed watching her grapple with her abilities and everything being thrown at her.

Aksel was just my type of MMC – tough, broody and intimidating on the outside, but a total softie underneath all that steel. Their banter was SO good, and I loved watching their relationship develop throughout the book. The slow build between them made every little moment feel that much more satisfying. I also really enjoyed the side characters and getting to know them as the story progressed. There’s definitely a found-family element here that I’m excited to see develop further!

There were plenty of twists and reveals to keep me entertained, and getting a glimpse of the Elven realm made it clear that there is SO much more to this world waiting to be explored. With a trilogy ahead, I can already see this story expanding far beyond the boundaries of the first book, and I’m very curious to see where it goes next!

What to Expect:
💜 Romantasy
✨ Portal Magic
💜 Elves & Mortals
✨ Chosen One
💜 Forced Proximity
✨ He Falls First
💜 Feisty FMC
✨ Found Family

The writing was brilliant and incredibly vivid, although I did find the first half dragged a little, as there wasn’t a huge amount happening plot-wise. That said, I really enjoyed the progression of the relationships during this time, so the slower pacing didn’t bother me too much. The slow burn was SLOW. 😂 But when things finally started heating up around the three-quarter mark, it hit SO much harder because of all that build-up. It definitely made the wait worth it!

Fans of the deadly trials and dangerous world of The Serpent and the Wings of Night, or the slow-burn romance between two people with every reason not to trust one another in The Bridge Kingdom, will love this portal-hopping romantasy!

A huge thank you New Dawn Publishing for my gorgeous gifted final reading copy! I am so grateful for the opportunity to read this and very happily leaving this review ❤️✨


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[Jenna (jenreadsmagic) · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALC Review - 4.5 ⭐

A huge thank you to Helena Potter, Bolinda Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

The Thread That Binds Us (TTBU) is an addictive high-stakes romantasy with a refreshingly unique magic system! It is the first instalment in a romantasy trilogy following reckless cartographer FMC, Yiva Ulfrik, as she's conscripted into a deadly quest where she's forced to train under the tall, dark and mysterious elven warrior, Aksel Veythar.

I absolutely loved the clever plotting throughout this book. Helena has this way of spoon feeding you hints and clues throughout the book, whilst still managing to keep you in the dark so you're still shocked by the plot twists. And speaking of plot twists, there is one jump scare moment in the book that had me needing to pause the audio to process my emotions for a good 15 mins 🤯😲

I really enjoyed the magic system in this book too. There are definitely not enough books with portal magic and it makes TTBU feel like a welcome breath of fresh air. I also liked that al of the various forms of magic in this book have costs to using them. It made me reflect on that fact that no power should be unchecked and come without cost. Use of power should be intentional and thought out and I love that the magic system in this book essentially requires that of the characters with magic.

I loved Yiva's personal story and character growth. Helena really sheds light on the difficulties of grief and the way so many people fall into the trap of utilising alcohol to numb the pain through Yiva's struggles over the loss of her existing found family. It was beautiful to see the way in which Yiva begins to heal (or at least cope more effectively), find her own strength and eventually grows to add more people to her network of found family.

Now onto the narration. Rose Riley has done an amazing job bringing Helena's story to life with her performance, particularly with TTBU having single narration. She has utilises British accent (which I always love to hear because most audiobooks seem to be done by with American accents these days), but also features some Welsh accents for some side characters. I liked that I was able to differentiate between the various characters' voices, including both male and female characters, and was obsessed with her performance of Ferris. I will definitely read more books narrated by Rose Riley in future!

This book will be perfect for readers who love:
✨ Portal magic
✨ He falls first
✨ Forced proximity
✨ Feisty FMC
✨ Found family
✨ Secrets and lies
✨ Political intrigue
✨ Training montage

[Saige Steele · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found my interest waning in the first half, and I couldn't work out if it was the narrator or the story. The story did pick up in the second half and the ending was exciting. I listened to this book on audio.
Story: For the first 47% of this book, the pace was really slow, almost plodding along and I found my interest waning. I caught myself daydreaming and thinking instead of listening. At first I thought maybe it was the narrator but as I listened more I realised that the plot was moving at a glacial pace. At the 47% mark it seemed to start jumping by weeks on occasion, then slow down again. The story itself was pretty interesting but I found the pace hard to deal with, and the book easily could have been shorter and more exciting.
The story centres around Yiva Ulfrik, a drunken, gambling, promiscuous cartographer with trauma. She is one of four people offered as a "tribute" to train with the king's elite pack and go on a quest. The characters are interesting and their individual histories and motivations are slowly revealed as the plot moves along. I did appreciate that the author never spoon feeds us or is ham-fisted with her explanations. I also found that some of the things Yiva knows in the story were inconsistent. She mentions knowing, or at least considering certain things early on. And yet, when they are revealed to be true later in the story, Yiva is so shocked she suddenly flees. Some of the big reveals at the end of the story seemed very obvious to me and were set up from very early on in the story, so when Yiva finally discovered these things it didn't pack any excitement. It was as if the reveals were easy for me as the reader to see, but completely hidden from the character. Which doesn't add up as the book is written from first person POV, so I should be knowing what she knows. It felt inconsistent and jumbled.
Narrator: Rose Riley narrated this book and she did a fine job. She had different accents for some of her characters, most of them being some kind of Scottish/European sort of sound.
This book has very low spice. There's only one sex scene that begins and is then cut off quickly and fades to the next morning.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A huge thank you goes to Helena Potter & New Dawn Publishing, for letting me read an ARC of The Thread That Binds Us! This debut is just the first instalment in a romantic fantasy trilogy, but I’m here to already tell you that Helena is an author you’ll want to be following. Turn on all the notifications: for Helena’s socials, her author profile on Amazon, everywhere!

Yiva Ulfrik has long since stopped placing a value on her life. She gambles, she drinks, & she pretends that she’s never wanted more for herself than this. But she has. When Yiva is called up to participate in a deadly quest, she knows she’s already at a disadvantage—cartographers aren’t taught to fight. But when the King’s Blade is tasked with her training, Yiva will find no sympathy from this legendary warrior. Aksel will push her until she either breaks or becomes stronger. And he won’t accept the former. Can Yiva & a ragtag crew succeed in this quest, when everyone else has failed? Why is this lost artifact so necessary to everyone’s survival? The world is on a knife’s edge… And Yiva’s choice could push it to ruin.

The Thread That Binds Us reminded my why I love this romantasy genre down to my very bones. Within this tale? We get emotional turmoil, perilous choices that will tip the scales at the slightest breath of a secret, & a forced proximity romance which has left me reeling for reasons I won’t say here. Because—obviously—spoilers.

If you remember nothing else, do remember this: Helena Potter is an author to watch. Because this debut? It isn’t just a wonderful romantasy with tropes we all know & love (although of course it has this in spades)… It’s also a story which seems to effortlessly sprinkle some kind of alluring magic over the reader after just a few words. But keep playing this tune, Helena. I’ll follow your pied piper ways anywhere...

You can see so much more fangirling in my FULL REVIEW here: https://www.immersedinbooks.com/the-t...

[Midlife Fantasy Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. I loved this audio book. Rose Riley as narrator was really great. She has a British accent (which was nice to hear) and I loved that some of the characters had Welsh accents. Her different voices for different characters were all distinct and helped me keep track of who was who (as some of the characters had similar sounding names).

I really like Yiva, the FMC. At the start and for the first part of the book she is incredibly obstinate, stubborn and the kind of character who will cut off her nose to spite her face. She's dealing with the trauma of losing her surrogate sister by drinking, gambling and spending as little time on her own as possible. Her journey towards healing and self-discovery as the book progresses is a very rewarding read. I loved the enemies-to-found-family story Yiva and the other characters has with the other trainees at the Citadel. The relationship between Yiva and Aksel is really well done and I enjoyed how their relationship developed over the book.

The world-building felt immersive and well thought-out. We travel to different parts of the kingdom as well as other places and I got a real sense of the other creatures and countries in this world.

The plot itself is fairly fast-paced and I wasn't bored for any of it. While the blurb for the book doesn't mention specifically that it's book 1 of a series, the way the book ends definitely leaves enough unanswered questions for a second book. It doesn't end on a cliff-hanger, it ends at a good place with the central questions answered, but there's enough loose ends there could easily be a book 2, and I if there is I will definitely be listening to it! This is the best Romantasy I've read in a while and I really recommend it.

[Kell 5wordsorlessbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

As soon as I saw this book, I knew I wanted to read it. And WOW... this was easily a 6-star read for me.

The cover grabbed me immediately, but the story? It completely exceeded every expectation I had. I'll be honest, fantasy has been a bit hit-or-miss for me this year, but this book had me completely locked in from the very beginning.

What stood out to me immediately was that this didn't just feel like another book about magic and elves. The world-building was incredible, it felt fresh and I was never confused.

Yiva... what an FMC. She was an absolute baddie with a capital B. I adored that she wasn't written to be instantly lovable. She was messy, stubborn, carried so much pain, and constantly battled her own demons. It made her feel so real. Watching her emotional growth throughout the story was honestly one of my favourite parts, and the payoff was EVERYTHING.

And then there's Aksel... The King's Blade. Yep. He's officially up there as one of my all-time favourite MMCs. This romance is a true slow burn...like, set-to-a-low-simmer slow burn, and I ate up every single second of it. I have so many little annotation tabs dedicated to this man.

This became one of those books I found myself deliberately pacing because I didn't want it to end. I'd save a few chapters for when I had time to completely disappear into this magical world, following the gang (FERRIS! OMG IYKYK) on their quests.

A huge thank you to New Dawn Publishing and Helena Potter for sending me an advanced copy. This one completely exceeded my expectations, and I cannot wait to see what Helena writes next.

[MizzyRed · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was an interesting world that Helena Potter has created, though you only get a taste of that after the first half of some very slow feeling training where Yiva Ulfrik gets beaten down by Aksel Veythar on an almost daily basis and yet still develops feelings? It was easy to root for Yiva, not so much the dark and brooding Aksel. She is a survivor and I did not like Aksel meting out punishments on the littlest of things. I had a kind of hard time with the first half of this book though it really picks up when some mysteries are finally revealed and the tributes go out on missions. I think I liked the friendships Yiva made with the other tributes (who have awesome skills themselves!) more than I liked the love that developed weirdly between her and Aksel. That is when I got invested in the story. And from there it was a wild ride of revelations, revolution against a mad monarch, lots of cool magic and a cliffhanger that I kinda screamed at when I realized this was going to be a trilogy instead of just the one book.

I think this was a decent debut that redeemed itself in the second half. The audiobook version of it was definitely well done. Rose Riley did a great job in bringing both Yiva and Aksel and their tale of fate binding them together to fix the past and the present in their world and others. I would like to know how it turns out. I would liked to thank Bolinda and NetGalley for giving me the chance to listen to this and discover a new author.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are in the market for for a top-tier new romantasy, this is it.
I picked this on a whim because the plot sounded good and it delivered!

What made me fall completely in love with this book was our FMC, Yiva. She struggles so much, and it felt incredibly raw and refreshing. Novices don't just become experts overnight and Helena doesn't make magic or fighting come easy to her at all. Every bit of strength she gains is hard-earned.

That same realistic, slow-burn energy applies to the found family aspect too. The relationships and the bond she builds with her crew take time to grow, making the payoff so much sweeter.

The pacing of this book is brilliant. The chapters and different POVs are so cleverly placed, especially the sections where the timelines and paths cross. It was such an effective way to build tension….
Speaking of tension... the romance? Masterfully done. The yearning is agonizing in the best way possible. It’s an open-door romance but hits that perfect, tasteful balance where it doesn't overwhelm the plot.

And that ending! Everything weaves together so beautifully. It closes on a note that is both incredibly sweet and delivers that exact high-stakes bang we needed to set up the next instalment.

Safe to say, I will be counting down the days until book two!

[Holly B · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fact that this is Helena Potter’s debut book was astounding to me. The Thread That Binds Us was incredibly addicting, the world building so intricately woven together and characters that stretch their hands from the page to drag you into the story with them.

Yiva Ulfrik has a flawed beauty to her that feels uniquely real, she is fierce and angry and hardened. Her destructive nature takes over her world as she deals with conscription and a power she doesn't understand. All I found myself wanting to do was hold her hand and give the sweet girl a hug, her journey through this story is one I found I could relate to immensely. Disregarding a few fantasy related details ofc!

Aksel Veythar, my sweet black cat baby. But like, a very large muscled, tattooed version. The more I learnt about Aksel the MORE I wanted to know! He has such different relationships with each character, each one defined by something, yet each given the same care and attention it requires. Watching him soften was a joy.

The Thread That Binds Us was a delightful read, and I shall be rereading in August when I enlist everyone I know into a compulsory book club.

Lastly, Ferris is a ball of sunlight and joy. Thats it.

ENJOY xx

Copy graciously provided as an ARC from author

[Danisbooklife · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredible debut!

From the very first chapter, I was completely swept away by this rich, immersive fantasy world. Helena Potter has crafted a story filled with danger, secrets, powerful magic, and unforgettable characters that kept me turning the pages late into the night.

Yiva is the kind of heroine I love—flawed, witty, and fiercely determined. Watching her uncover hidden truths while navigating impossible choices made for such a compelling journey. And the elves? Absolutely my favourite! Their mystery, strength, and presence on the page had me hooked from the moment they appeared.

I’m also an absolute sucker for a hidden identity storyline, and this book delivered that trope perfectly. Every reveal had me desperate to know what would happen next, and the slow unraveling of the truth kept the tension high throughout.

The world-building is beautifully detailed without being overwhelming, the romance simmers alongside the action, and the ending has left me needing the next book immediately.

If you love:
🧝 Elves
🖤 Hidden identities
✨ Magic
⚔️ Deadly quests
💕 Slow-burn romance
📖 Epic fantasy worlds

…then The Thread That Binds Us needs to be on your TBR.

Congratulations again, Helena, on such a stunning debut—I can’t wait to see where this series goes next!

[Sam]

I really wanted to like The Thread That Binds Us but just could not get into it and ended up with a DNF at 71% after many many attempts to finish.

This is really frustrating given the fantastic reviews and that it contains all the things I really love about fantasy including an interesting and challenging female protagonist - I wanted more of her being a cartographer as this is such an unusual role. However, the story felt a bit clunky to me and the presentation of the characters came across as very YA.

I listened to the audiobook which was narrated by Rose Riley with interesting voices for every character. I just found I couldn't concentrate and my mind drifted off constantly.

I know this story will find a loyal fan base, I just don't understand why it doesn't include me because it really should based on the blurb! Recommend The Thread That Binds Us to fantasy fans that love a quirky female protagonist and want just a light touch of romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for the ALC. All thoughts on my honest opinion.

[jayde virgo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Thread that Binds us releases August 11th and I think EVERYONE needs to preorder this ASAP!!!!

The world building Helena has built for this world was so unique, it was rich and interesting and I loved every part of it, the descriptions of everything in this book was so beautifully done.

AHHH I LOVE YIVA SO MUCH!! She is definitely not your typical FMC - she’s reckless, angry and very… stubborn… And yet her heart is so soft to those she lets in. I love her so much and I wish I could give her a big hug 🥹🥹

Aksel🤭🤭 The Kings Blade is my new fav MMC!!! I also loved him so much, he loves so fiercely to those he cares about - each relationship he has with every character were so different!!

FERRIS MY BABY!! I love that man he is such a ball of sunshine OR WHATEVER THAT SAYING IS - he was so needed in this book!! (IYKYK: I literally bawled my eyes out and than laughed in the span of 2 chapters)

- I will be adding more to this review but this is just a taste of this book for now 🫶🏽😭

[Pernille A Prolific Page Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cover caught my eye and I wanted to love this debut romantasy by Helena Potter.Just look at it!



It is a good book, I just think I listened to the audiobook at the wrong time. There's nothing really wrong with it, it just didn't catch me. The narration by Rose Riley was great and she really brought the characters to life, but I kept spacing out.

I tried really really hard to focus on the story but my mind kept wandering. Maybe it was the writing, maybe it was the way the FMC, Yiva Ulfrik, "drinks to forget, gambles to feel alive, and lies to herself about the power burning beneath her skin" felt more like bragging and whining rather than being a badass character in dire circumstances.

Wrong time wrong place I think.

3 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kiki.andhershelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a debut I was very impressed with the lyrical prose, the writing was really beautiful at times. You’ll enjoy this if you like a tension filled slow burn romance, intricate world building, fated love, Elves, dangerous quests, portal magic and found family.

I loved the Yiva - she’s fiery, stubborn and flawed (I always loved a flawed character) and I appreciated her character growth throughout. I also enjoyed the grumpy handsome Elven commander and the slow development of their relationship. The yearning and heartache hits! Each side character was very well written and I particularly enjoyed Ferris and his shenanigans.

I will say though that times the pacing felt a bit off, and it took a little while to get my bearings, but I think this author has done a fantastic job has a bright future ahead!

Add to your TBR if you like:

🧚 Elven Warrior MMC
💜Mystery and secrets
🗡️Quests
❤️Found family
💋Slow burn romance

[Lexa K · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up.

The narration for the audiobook is sublime, each character is distinguishable by tone and accent with concise and clear wording the entire way through.

Yeva and Aksel will very much appeal to the enemies to lovers fans and the band of side characters trusted to help open the void add layers and an overall depth to the story as a whole. I loved some of the friendly banter and the do or 💀 element of their comeraderie.

However, I did find the story didn't always hold my interest and the slow start didn't help me to start to enjoy the book until midway through, but fans of the romantasy genre as a whole would enjoy this debut novel.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me access to an advance copy of this book via Netgalley.

[Faye Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't find a reference to The Thread That Binds Us being either a standalone or part of a series in the Goodreads information or the NetGalley listing when I requested the ALC, but now that I've listened to it, I know for sure that it's a series, so be prepared for the plot to not be resolved by the end of the book!

Yiva and Aksel are the FMC and MMC of The Thread that Binds Us. The plot and their relationship arc feels familiar but it was still enjoyable. The audiobook narration was great, with the single narrator distinguishing all the characters' voices really well. A promising start to the series!

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Listener Copy from NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.

[Kay Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved The Threads That Bind. The writing was beautiful and poetic, the magic system was cool and different, and I adored the found family. It was one of those worlds I genuinely enjoyed spending time in.

The narrator also had such a relaxing voice. She was easy to listen to without ever sounding boring or annoying, which made the audiobook even better.

My only issue was the FMC. She was so hopeless and down on herself for most of the book, and even though I understood why, it did get a bit depressing. I just wanted her to start seeing her own worth a little sooner.

Still, this was easily a five-star listen for me. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who loves poetic storytelling, found family and Rebecca Ross.

[Nik · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

The Threads That Binds Us was a strong debut. I really enjoyed the world building and the political intrigue. I will be honest I struggled at the beginning to get into the story because I wasn’t a fan of the main characters. For some reason I couldn’t connect with Yiva and Aksel which made it hard for me to get invested in their romance as well. The side characters I loved though. They were a highlight of the story for me. Despite having mixed feelings, I would still pick up the next book.

✨Portal magic
✨High stake quest
✨Slow burn romance
✨Found family

Thank you New Dawn Publishing for a copy for review.

[Mrs Moa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This debut romantasy is an action filled tale following a flawed heroine coming into magic.

❤️‍🔥 action & adventure
❤️‍🔥 quests
❤️‍🔥 portal magic
❤️‍🔥 personal agendas
❤️‍🔥 found family
❤️‍🔥 forced proximity
❤️‍🔥 fated mates
❤️‍🔥 slow burn
❤️‍🔥 enemies to lovers
❤️‍🔥 side swiping plot twists

I loved Helena’s character building and how her side characters added so much depth to the story line.

Narrator Rose Riley does a fantastic job of giving each of the characters their own distinct voice, especially my fav side hero, Ferris 🫶

Thanks to the digital distribution, I listened to this book as an ALC and all opinions are my own.

[Sarah Wicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 (rounded up for goodreads) I really enjoyed the premise of The Thread That Binds Us. The magic system was super interesting and definitely one of my favourite parts of the book. It felt fresh and had so much potential.

Yiva was also such a fun character to follow. Her complete distaste for authority made for some really entertaining moments.

My biggest issue was that some of the plot points felt a little underdeveloped. A few big moments either wrapped up really quickly or weren't explored as much as I was expecting. I also think the story could've kept me on the edge of my seat a little more especially with the twists.

That said I still had a good time with this one. The overall story has a lot of merit and I'm definitely interested enough to keep reading the series to see where it goes

[Jen Grá · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yiva keeps herself on the outskirts of society until she is conscripted into a deadly quest, tying her fate to that of the mysterious, Aksel Veythar.
The book begins at a pace, throwing the reader right in, explaining the world as it goes as needed. Despite this momentum, I felt most on board about halfway through. The story is told in dual POV, but the change in perspective sometimes lead to repetition. Overall, the drama was left at an exciting point with loads of threads still left to unravel.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Azi MacPherson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book got me out of my reading slump.

I loved The Thread That Binds Us!! Helena Potter has created an immersive, beautifully built world that was easy to get lost in.

The slow-burn romance was done perfectly, with just the right amount of tension and spice!!

If you love portals, quests, and an FMC who is stubborn, fierce, and perfectly imperfect, paired with a badass MMC who yearns, then this book is for you x

[S.K. Stapar · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking for beautiful writing and a unique story, this is the one!!

Helena Potter is a true storyteller, her voice incredibly refreshing. I loved how Yiva’s back story unfolded bit by bit, as well as the world in which this was set. My curiosity was constantly switched on!

This is one special read, and I CANNOT wait until the next one.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Yiva Ulfrik is taken from her world of gambling and boozing and forced to enlist in a deadly mission by decree of a tyrant king, she will have to face everything within her that she has been hiding from. As she trains under watch of the deadly yet intriguing ‘King’s Blade’, Aksel Veythar, she can’t deny the tether that draws them to each other.

The Thread That Binds Us is the debut release from Australian-based Kiwi author Helena Potter, and what a debut it is. Potter weaves a rich and unique fantasy world penned in beautifully poetic prose that grab you from the first page to the last.

Potter does an excellent job of balancing action, and romance, while making you care for all of her characters in at times the most heart-wrenching ways. If you love a slow-burn romantasy that’s as heavy on the world-building as it is on the spice, then this is the perfect next read for you.

Perfect if you love:
- Rich fantasy world
- Found family
- Fated lovers