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Veiled Marks
Not yet published
Expected 1 Oct 26They told her she was no one special. What if that was the first lie?
At Sanctum Equilibria, Angie Teare expects to fight for her place like every other student. Instead she is paired with Luke — a counterpart whose bond hits her with a force she was never prepared for, and cannot easily control.
As she trains with her squad and her power refuses to stay small, long-buried secrets about her family and the ruling Council start to surface. The people who raised her did not tell her everything. Some of them did not tell her the truth at all.
The deeper she digs, the clearer it becomes that certain facts were never meant to leave the dark. With the connection to Luke tightening by the day, Angie has to decide how far she will go for answers… before the truth costs her the life she is only just building.
In a world where every marked child is bound to a counterpart, and imbalance can mean death, some bonds are forged in fate. Others are forged in lies.
Perfect for readers of dark academy romantasy who want a dangerous pairing, family secrets, morally grey heat, and a series opener that ends — while the war does not.
Tropes: academy romantasy, counterpart / fated bond, dangerous pairing, secrets, morally grey heat. Adult dark romantasy. Heat and threat. Not a sweet romance.
At Sanctum Equilibria, Angie Teare expects to fight for her place like every other student. Instead she is paired with Luke — a counterpart whose bond hits her with a force she was never prepared for, and cannot easily control.
As she trains with her squad and her power refuses to stay small, long-buried secrets about her family and the ruling Council start to surface. The people who raised her did not tell her everything. Some of them did not tell her the truth at all.
The deeper she digs, the clearer it becomes that certain facts were never meant to leave the dark. With the connection to Luke tightening by the day, Angie has to decide how far she will go for answers… before the truth costs her the life she is only just building.
In a world where every marked child is bound to a counterpart, and imbalance can mean death, some bonds are forged in fate. Others are forged in lies.
Perfect for readers of dark academy romantasy who want a dangerous pairing, family secrets, morally grey heat, and a series opener that ends — while the war does not.
Tropes: academy romantasy, counterpart / fated bond, dangerous pairing, secrets, morally grey heat. Adult dark romantasy. Heat and threat. Not a sweet romance.
320 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication October 1, 2026
About the author
Karl Farrell
5 books2 followersKarl Farrell is a Liverpool-born author who writes romantasy and dark romance with heart, heat, and moral complexity. His debut novel, Veiled Marks (Book 1 in the Counterpart series), is a story he’s poured everything into — the kind of book he always wanted to find on the shelves.
He also writes across genres (children’s adventures, horror, and whatever else grabs him next) and co-founded Simms & Farrell Publishing with illustrator Lucy Simms.
Together they create books where words and illustrations are developed side-by-side, and they aim to support other authors along the way.
When he’s not writing, Karl is usually reading far too widely, arguing about endings, or dreaming of doing this full-time.
If you love romantasy and dark romance with emotional depth, he’d love you to join him on the journey.
Instagram: @karlfarrell_author
He also writes across genres (children’s adventures, horror, and whatever else grabs him next) and co-founded Simms & Farrell Publishing with illustrator Lucy Simms.
Together they create books where words and illustrations are developed side-by-side, and they aim to support other authors along the way.
When he’s not writing, Karl is usually reading far too widely, arguing about endings, or dreaming of doing this full-time.
If you love romantasy and dark romance with emotional depth, he’d love you to join him on the journey.
Instagram: @karlfarrell_author
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Review of advance copy
This isn’t my final genre type, but I’ll admit, this book is amazing so far! I’m only a few chapters in and loving it so far!
Review of advance copy received from Author
From the very first chapter, I was completely drawn into this story. The characters are so thoughtfully written, with descriptions and development that feel vivid, emotional and incredibly easy to picture. The world-building is brilliant and made it so easy to lose myself in the magic and forget about everything outside the book.
The storytelling is fantastic. You feel like you’re right there alongside the characters, experiencing their emotions, struggles and challenges with them. Just when you think you know where the story is going, another twist or unexpected turn pulls you in even further and leaves you desperate to find out what happens next.
And oh the TRAUMA 😭😭😭😭😭
I genuinely struggled to put this book down once I started. It completely pulled me out of reality and into its world, and I was left wanting more. I’m already looking forward to seeing where the story goes next and discovering what comes in the future.
A truly captivating read from an incredibly talented author. Absolutely loved it!
The storytelling is fantastic. You feel like you’re right there alongside the characters, experiencing their emotions, struggles and challenges with them. Just when you think you know where the story is going, another twist or unexpected turn pulls you in even further and leaves you desperate to find out what happens next.
And oh the TRAUMA 😭😭😭😭😭
I genuinely struggled to put this book down once I started. It completely pulled me out of reality and into its world, and I was left wanting more. I’m already looking forward to seeing where the story goes next and discovering what comes in the future.
A truly captivating read from an incredibly talented author. Absolutely loved it!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Veiled Marks…one word OBSESSED! When I started reading this book I was hooked from the beginning, the character descriptions and development is detailed, visual and emotional. The story pulls you in, making you want more and lets you visualise the magical world. The writing is impeccable with strong storytelling that lets you be part of the action and emotions. I resonated with this book as you feel the struggles and challenges of the characters and it keeps you questioning the next chapter of what is next. The unexpected, twists and turns keep you in suspense and just make you eager and excited to keep reading. You fall in love with some characters, feel anger and frustration at others and you experience the true passion of the book. The illustrations are outstanding and help bring the book even more to life. With both combined you find yourself escaping the real world for a while. I couldn’t put it down once I started reading it and cannot wait for the next book and future stories. Truly talented!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews