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Forbidden Realms #1
Forgotten Fates: part one
This isn't a story of good triumphing over evil. They are not the heroes and make no apologies for that.
A King cursed to forget,
A Queen condemned to remember.
Warlock Queen, Amara the Deathless spends her time chasing power and running from the past.
Demon Prince of Lust, recently crowned King of the Hells, Cassius spends his days running from responsibilities and denying his power.
Bound together by contract, they each defend the other's throne, while leaving chaos and destruction in their paths.
Their history begins to unravel when a mythical sword becomes unearthed, its power of Divine Justice foretold to be the harbinger of the apocalypse.
The secrets Amara carry hold the key to the Demon King's forgotten past, while deep in the ruins of his mind, Cassius holds the power to save Amara's future.
One cursed, one condemned.
The only thing clear is that they need each other.
*Intended for mature audience*
*part one of two, book one of series*
118k words, full length novel
A King cursed to forget,
A Queen condemned to remember.
Warlock Queen, Amara the Deathless spends her time chasing power and running from the past.
Demon Prince of Lust, recently crowned King of the Hells, Cassius spends his days running from responsibilities and denying his power.
Bound together by contract, they each defend the other's throne, while leaving chaos and destruction in their paths.
Their history begins to unravel when a mythical sword becomes unearthed, its power of Divine Justice foretold to be the harbinger of the apocalypse.
The secrets Amara carry hold the key to the Demon King's forgotten past, while deep in the ruins of his mind, Cassius holds the power to save Amara's future.
One cursed, one condemned.
The only thing clear is that they need each other.
*Intended for mature audience*
*part one of two, book one of series*
118k words, full length novel
Paperback
First published May 25, 2019
About the author
S.J. Doran
11 books49 followersFor the love of the gritty romance, out of a belief that even the most flawed of characters deserve love, Author SJ Doran breathed life into the 'Forbidden Realms'
SJ Doran is a collaborative pen-name, two writers that have been writing together, for the love of writing and well-earned love stories, since 2015.
Forgotten Fates introduces you to Amara and Cassius, a newly crowned King and a Queen with a violent past. They are villains by some standards, villains who deserve their story told.
We welcome you to the Forbidden Realms, and romance for the dark side
SJ Doran is a collaborative pen-name, two writers that have been writing together, for the love of writing and well-earned love stories, since 2015.
Forgotten Fates introduces you to Amara and Cassius, a newly crowned King and a Queen with a violent past. They are villains by some standards, villains who deserve their story told.
We welcome you to the Forbidden Realms, and romance for the dark side
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
Want to Read
February 17, 2020🎁 Books 1 & 2 in the Series are FREE on Amazon today (2/17/2020)! 🎁
August 18, 2019
Must Read!!
Cassius and Amara compelled me from the very moment I laid eyes upon these pages. Transfixed, consumed and intrigued by their twisted and warped worlds, I was unable to put the book down.
A broken mind and a shattered heart; a love forbidden to ever replenish. Their story pulls on the heart strings and constantly kept me engaged waiting for the anticipating fracture in their own personal hells.
SJ Doran is a new indie author on the self publishing block and I'm so happy I found the book and decided to give it a shot. I'll definitely be reading the next book in the series and the ones to come.
5☆ for this phenomenal novel and I can not wait to see what SJ Doran comes up with next. Simply brilliant!!
Cassius and Amara compelled me from the very moment I laid eyes upon these pages. Transfixed, consumed and intrigued by their twisted and warped worlds, I was unable to put the book down.
A broken mind and a shattered heart; a love forbidden to ever replenish. Their story pulls on the heart strings and constantly kept me engaged waiting for the anticipating fracture in their own personal hells.
SJ Doran is a new indie author on the self publishing block and I'm so happy I found the book and decided to give it a shot. I'll definitely be reading the next book in the series and the ones to come.
5☆ for this phenomenal novel and I can not wait to see what SJ Doran comes up with next. Simply brilliant!!
January 11, 2020
Not your typical Love story!
If you wanted a white knight in shining armor to come save the damsel in distress. This is Not your story.
Amara and Cassius’s story runs centuries long and is filled with many Dark things, causing pain and suffering.
Being Damned does that but they each feed off pain and lust and trust each other exclusively.
This 1st story will keep you wondering who is safe to trust and will their Love will prevail?
If you wanted a white knight in shining armor to come save the damsel in distress. This is Not your story.
Amara and Cassius’s story runs centuries long and is filled with many Dark things, causing pain and suffering.
Being Damned does that but they each feed off pain and lust and trust each other exclusively.
This 1st story will keep you wondering who is safe to trust and will their Love will prevail?
May 26, 2019
Bang for your book buck!.
Story kicks right off, and has a large scale world and character build. The story itself is unique approach to the story of a forgotten love. It centers around Cassius and Amara, two perfectly flawed protagonists working their way through the scheming and betrayal which always follow those burndened to wear the crown.
Story kicks right off, and has a large scale world and character build. The story itself is unique approach to the story of a forgotten love. It centers around Cassius and Amara, two perfectly flawed protagonists working their way through the scheming and betrayal which always follow those burndened to wear the crown.
September 1, 2019
Wow!
This book really took me surprise. I expected a hot and steamy read with very little story line.... boy was I wrong! The plot is amazing I couldn’t put the book down. I loved the characters and the back story. So well done. I can’t wait to read more!!! Oh and the steam is absolutely FIRE!
This book really took me surprise. I expected a hot and steamy read with very little story line.... boy was I wrong! The plot is amazing I couldn’t put the book down. I loved the characters and the back story. So well done. I can’t wait to read more!!! Oh and the steam is absolutely FIRE!
July 14, 2019
Wonderfully written story that pulls you in and keeps you on the edge until the very end! I can't wait to see What else happens!
December 24, 2019
Incredible
This book was so amazing and heartbreaking! Cass and Mara have had so much hurt in their lives. I can't wait to read what will happen next.
This book was so amazing and heartbreaking! Cass and Mara have had so much hurt in their lives. I can't wait to read what will happen next.
Read
January 16, 2020Omg wow.. I loved this so much book 1 and 2 in 48 hours. CASS and MARA are my new favourite couple.
When everything tried to tear them apart including themselves, Cassius and Amara endure lies , deceit, and intrigue from all corners of their world's, They have to fight tooth and nail to overcome it and find their way back to each other.
When everything tried to tear them apart including themselves, Cassius and Amara endure lies , deceit, and intrigue from all corners of their world's, They have to fight tooth and nail to overcome it and find their way back to each other.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2020
Ok I don't know what happened to this book. It had the potential to be one of the best dark fantasy novels and yet it's close to the bottom of the barrel. I like the story, I really do, but why is it so stretched out? With a decent editor, this book could probably gone from 440 pages to 350. There are that many unnecessary scenes in the novel. And yet even with so many unnecessary scenes, the world building of the book was done poorly, and kinda made me feel like I was floating adrift throughout the book.
But one thing I really like about the novel is how Amara, the heroine, is the savage, almost cruel badass in the novel.
It's the hero, Cassius, who's kinda the fuck-up.
Also, I like how everything Amara does is because she wants revenge on not just the people who hurt her, but the people who hurt Cassius as well.
And Bas, Oh My God, Bas. The guy gave me the creeps from the very beginning. I feel like Amara should have tried harder to convince Cassius to never trust Bas. All the secrets which she sat upon were revealed in such a confusing manner, it did not make sense at all why she would let the two become lovers.
The ending was spectacular, I have to say that. It was such a mind-blowing secret which the author revealed in the end. Almost made up for the slow pace of the book. Almost.
All in all I liked the book, even though it could have been better and I'll eventually come around to read the second one.
But one thing I really like about the novel is how Amara, the heroine, is the savage, almost cruel badass in the novel.
It's the hero, Cassius, who's kinda the fuck-up.
Also, I like how everything Amara does is because she wants revenge on not just the people who hurt her, but the people who hurt Cassius as well.
And Bas, Oh My God, Bas. The guy gave me the creeps from the very beginning. I feel like Amara should have tried harder to convince Cassius to never trust Bas. All the secrets which she sat upon were revealed in such a confusing manner, it did not make sense at all why she would let the two become lovers.
The ending was spectacular, I have to say that. It was such a mind-blowing secret which the author revealed in the end. Almost made up for the slow pace of the book. Almost.
All in all I liked the book, even though it could have been better and I'll eventually come around to read the second one.
November 26, 2019
OMG!!! This was a great book! It was well written and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I absolutely love this book and can’t wait to read the next one. Amara is amazing and strong which is what I look for in a female character. Cassius is a spectacular male you can’t help but fall in love with. He is by far my new book boyfriend. I am dying to get the next book because I have to know what happens next for these two. It is my new favorite series and I hope there are more to come in the future! I need more Cassius and Amara.
November 9, 2020
EKKKK!!!! Omfg!!! Where has this series been hiding? How am I just finding it now! Forgotten Fates was FU(KING EVERYTHING!!!! Seriously, this book is literally E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G I have been needing! I have completely lost my mind over this series! This author is completely new to me. After some stalking, I have discovered Doran is an author duo.. like how much better can it get, Two is always double the fun! So. I stumbled upon this gem after being added to a book group and I'm just so head over heels! So If you love all things Dark, Thrilling, and Sexy you Do NOT want to miss this book! Forgotten Fates is Dark with a Captial D! You will get lost in these enchanting realms of Demons, Warlocks, and Gods, with Magick and Prophecies and Lust...sooo much Lust! Whew! Now, with that being said a little PSA. Since this book deals heavily in the lust, and with mythological beings or beings of lore you should go into this book with an open mind and enjoy the ride! Say a little prayer and buckle up buttercup! This book is going to suck you into the pages and blow your mind! It got me hook, line and sinker! I'm talking body, mind, and soul! You just can't help but fall so hard for Amara and Cassius. These two are so phenomenal, they will imprison your mind. Actually, all the characters really are just so well written! And if you love detail, you have just hit the jackpot! And don't let that scare you, because you don't get lost in the detail, everything flows smoothly and there is never any lag or droning on. All the content is intriguing and page-turning. For me, this is just the best kind of read! It's so addictive and full of excitement and the unknown! There are secrets being kept that will absolutely shred you to the core! You better hid that heart though baby, because this author duo is going to put you through the wringer, or seven kinds of hell!... It's pretty much the same thing! Ohhh and the Angst will just suffocate you! It's everything my little angst-wh0re heart could ever dream of! I'm very much interested in the other characters and what their stories are, I just know I will never get enough. I'm giddy with excitement for the next book and my mind hasn't stopped thinking about all of this since I started reading. I don't want to say too much for fear of giving anything away, so I'm just going to stay vague. This book is one that truly needs to be read! It's been a very long time since a book has called to me like this! It's hands-down one of my best reads EVER, it's already topped my reads for this year! It's the perfect book to fall into and forget about the world for a little while!
October 3, 2019
Amara the Warlock Queen is struggling as she fights for her people's future while trying to forget her past. Cassius is the most recent King of the Hells, but he runs from his responsibilities because of the pain of a past he can't remember. They are bound together by a contract and by so much more. Everything begins to unravel and secrets bubble to the surface which could start the apocalypse. Or something much worse.
I'm so glad I picked up this book. It's dark and deep and messy. These aren't heroes. No one is working toward the light here. Amara and Cassius are leaders of realms that are evil. While I worried at first that we'd be dealing with two characters who are overly powerful, that never bothered me. They're so broken inside, and their internal struggles are very much worth the read. This is a love story like none other. Something forged in hell and shattered again and again. Great cast of characters surrounding them. Evil on top of evil. I can't wait to dig into the next book.
I'm so glad I picked up this book. It's dark and deep and messy. These aren't heroes. No one is working toward the light here. Amara and Cassius are leaders of realms that are evil. While I worried at first that we'd be dealing with two characters who are overly powerful, that never bothered me. They're so broken inside, and their internal struggles are very much worth the read. This is a love story like none other. Something forged in hell and shattered again and again. Great cast of characters surrounding them. Evil on top of evil. I can't wait to dig into the next book.
September 27, 2022
This book in INSANE. I love it so much, I honestly wish I could just read it again, but alas, I need to know what happens next.
And Amara, oh my Priestess. How I want to wrap you in cotton wool and violent disembowl your enemies.
"A dead heart which seemed to never stop breaking." This is possibly the saddest line I have ever read. Cassius, please remember your Assat. You deserve to be together. And Asmodeus deserves to suffer for all eternity.
I must admit that you need your wits about you when reading this book. There are so many hints of things we don't yet know but are somehow in play and affecting our characters.
The world building is confusing but concentrated on their "section" enough that you do not get too mixed up. Just keep reading and it will be cleared up in a chapter or so.
I cannot wait for his full memories to return. I have mixed feelings about the polyamory going on purely because it isn't a mutually agreed upon notion but because he doesn't know, I reluctantly understand.
Onto the next book!
And Amara, oh my Priestess. How I want to wrap you in cotton wool and violent disembowl your enemies.
"A dead heart which seemed to never stop breaking." This is possibly the saddest line I have ever read. Cassius, please remember your Assat. You deserve to be together. And Asmodeus deserves to suffer for all eternity.
I must admit that you need your wits about you when reading this book. There are so many hints of things we don't yet know but are somehow in play and affecting our characters.
The world building is confusing but concentrated on their "section" enough that you do not get too mixed up. Just keep reading and it will be cleared up in a chapter or so.
I cannot wait for his full memories to return. I have mixed feelings about the polyamory going on purely because it isn't a mutually agreed upon notion but because he doesn't know, I reluctantly understand.
Onto the next book!
November 4, 2020
Great start to a great series!!
Wow. Where to start. Um... Amara, can I PLEASE borrow Cass/Sin for a few?? He is everything.
This story has it all. Trials, tribulations, love, hate, sadness, happiness, etc. I cannot wait to read Part 2.
The ONLY reason I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 was the spelling/grammatical errors that were present. I know, I know, they're self published (which is fantastic 🎉) but they need a few more proofreaders (which I absolutely volunteer for 😊). It's not terrible, and believe me I've read WAAAAY worse, but it did distract from the flow for me. Other than that, this story is stellar, unique, and all the 9 hells of a ride.
Wow. Where to start. Um... Amara, can I PLEASE borrow Cass/Sin for a few?? He is everything.
This story has it all. Trials, tribulations, love, hate, sadness, happiness, etc. I cannot wait to read Part 2.
The ONLY reason I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 was the spelling/grammatical errors that were present. I know, I know, they're self published (which is fantastic 🎉) but they need a few more proofreaders (which I absolutely volunteer for 😊). It's not terrible, and believe me I've read WAAAAY worse, but it did distract from the flow for me. Other than that, this story is stellar, unique, and all the 9 hells of a ride.
January 20, 2022
3.5 Stars
Amara and Cassius. What an intriguing tale.
I liked it - there is a LOT of steam! Which straight up gets my vote. There is broken pasts, broken minds and a story yet to unravel. Cassius is the Prince of Lust - so be warned of multiple lovers and due to his childhood trauma, there is a touch of masochism.
I am enjoying the story and looking forward to part two. There are a lot of sex scenes which is great - but the story line is a bit too drawn out for me. Hopefully it sorts itself out in part 2.
Amara and Cassius. What an intriguing tale.
I liked it - there is a LOT of steam! Which straight up gets my vote. There is broken pasts, broken minds and a story yet to unravel. Cassius is the Prince of Lust - so be warned of multiple lovers and due to his childhood trauma, there is a touch of masochism.
I am enjoying the story and looking forward to part two. There are a lot of sex scenes which is great - but the story line is a bit too drawn out for me. Hopefully it sorts itself out in part 2.
April 18, 2023
Amazing! Hands down the best dark romance series.
In this part one we start off with the background story of the main characters Amara and Cassius, and how they became alliances. A forbidden love that takes you on a roller coaster ride of feelings like love, hate, back to love again, frustration, sadness, and edge of your seat. You begin to root for the unlucky Queen of the Warlocks and the King of the Nine Hells, because even though fate hasn't been good to either of them and the whispers of a apocalypse with their union; they just belong together!
In this part one we start off with the background story of the main characters Amara and Cassius, and how they became alliances. A forbidden love that takes you on a roller coaster ride of feelings like love, hate, back to love again, frustration, sadness, and edge of your seat. You begin to root for the unlucky Queen of the Warlocks and the King of the Nine Hells, because even though fate hasn't been good to either of them and the whispers of a apocalypse with their union; they just belong together!
June 13, 2019
10/10
Absolutely amazing. It's been a long time since I've read something that has me hooked, and this sank the hook in and kept it there. The characters are wonderful, powerful but able to be hurt, and personality wise are intriguing while still being reasonable. The badasses arent just badasses, they have other emotions and sometimes mess up. This book was refreshing and overall a total ten out of ten.
Absolutely amazing. It's been a long time since I've read something that has me hooked, and this sank the hook in and kept it there. The characters are wonderful, powerful but able to be hurt, and personality wise are intriguing while still being reasonable. The badasses arent just badasses, they have other emotions and sometimes mess up. This book was refreshing and overall a total ten out of ten.
August 29, 2019
READ IT!!!
Heart wrenching and slow torture are an understatement!
Cassius and Amara will steal your heart. Their forbidden love and memories of all that is lost will leave you shattering for them.
I was engulfed and entangled within their weaved web. Their story dark, tortured, and twisted in more ways than one can fathom.
So excited a friend recommended this book and I cannot wait to continue on this amazing and twisted adventure with Cassius and Amara!!!
Heart wrenching and slow torture are an understatement!
Cassius and Amara will steal your heart. Their forbidden love and memories of all that is lost will leave you shattering for them.
I was engulfed and entangled within their weaved web. Their story dark, tortured, and twisted in more ways than one can fathom.
So excited a friend recommended this book and I cannot wait to continue on this amazing and twisted adventure with Cassius and Amara!!!
May 19, 2020
This book was a surprise. I thought there would be a lot of steam and very little story. I was completely wrong. The plot and was unlike anything I've ever read. The backstory really carries the book. Cass and Amara's story will break your heart. Four hundred years without the one she loves. A dark prophecy. Sigh
And the steam will set you on fire.
I don't want to spoil it for anyone so I'll just say this book deserves the 5 star rating.
And the steam will set you on fire.
I don't want to spoil it for anyone so I'll just say this book deserves the 5 star rating.
July 19, 2020
Riveting
The well developed characters take you on one amazing ride! The characters are so well written that the emotions, what they are feeling, is so tangible that you feel it too. My heart aches from the main female character, Amara. As for Cassisus....sigh...poor demon. Filled with magic, curses, intrigue and a prophecy, this books pulls the reader down into its world and refuses to let you go. A must read!
The well developed characters take you on one amazing ride! The characters are so well written that the emotions, what they are feeling, is so tangible that you feel it too. My heart aches from the main female character, Amara. As for Cassisus....sigh...poor demon. Filled with magic, curses, intrigue and a prophecy, this books pulls the reader down into its world and refuses to let you go. A must read!
July 29, 2020
Hawt
Great writing, great story. Lots of hot sex. Normally I don't read books with a high sex content but the sex is so integral to the story I kept reading. A story of starcrossed lovers where one was made to forget the other and the other was made to keep their love secret or her love's life would be forfeit. Steeped deep in mythology.great read I will be reading the rest of the series.
Great writing, great story. Lots of hot sex. Normally I don't read books with a high sex content but the sex is so integral to the story I kept reading. A story of starcrossed lovers where one was made to forget the other and the other was made to keep their love secret or her love's life would be forfeit. Steeped deep in mythology.great read I will be reading the rest of the series.
July 11, 2019
Fantastic Story!
I loved the entire story! I was hooked from page one and it just kept me rooted to my seat the entire time! I couldn't stop reading! I had to know what happened next! Now I need to read more of Cassius and Amara! Great writing with wonderful character development! I loved the plot arcs as well!
I loved the entire story! I was hooked from page one and it just kept me rooted to my seat the entire time! I couldn't stop reading! I had to know what happened next! Now I need to read more of Cassius and Amara! Great writing with wonderful character development! I loved the plot arcs as well!
May 2, 2020
This is NOT a fairytale! Romeo and Juliet have nothing on Amara & Cassius.
I just blazed through all 4 books currently out and I’m now an addict waiting for my next hit! The writing doesn’t just tell a story.. you will live this story. Amara & Sin are living in hell... physically and metaphorically. I love Amara, she’s kinda sweet and mostly wicked but da*n she’s strong!
I just blazed through all 4 books currently out and I’m now an addict waiting for my next hit! The writing doesn’t just tell a story.. you will live this story. Amara & Sin are living in hell... physically and metaphorically. I love Amara, she’s kinda sweet and mostly wicked but da*n she’s strong!
December 8, 2020
Omg not my kind of book!!!
So I won't ruin it for anyone, but I got to 21% and said done! Now even bad books ill suffer through, but this one definitely not. You like hot steamy sex and I mean all kinds, then this book is for you. For me I like the story not just the steamy and mushy stuff. I like to see characters grow, not whatever this was. Read at your own risk.
So I won't ruin it for anyone, but I got to 21% and said done! Now even bad books ill suffer through, but this one definitely not. You like hot steamy sex and I mean all kinds, then this book is for you. For me I like the story not just the steamy and mushy stuff. I like to see characters grow, not whatever this was. Read at your own risk.
February 28, 2021
Fated
I was so confused when I started reading this book. I thought I missed one. But now that I've finished, I need to find out if Cassius and Amara get HEA. The chemistry between these characters is explosive!!I'm looking forward to the rest of the series to see how their story unfolds.
I was so confused when I started reading this book. I thought I missed one. But now that I've finished, I need to find out if Cassius and Amara get HEA. The chemistry between these characters is explosive!!I'm looking forward to the rest of the series to see how their story unfolds.
July 28, 2020
Not to my liking!
This book was in creasing Lee hard to get into and very confusing at the best of times! This review is just my personal opinion of the story. I could not even get all way through the book.
This book was in creasing Lee hard to get into and very confusing at the best of times! This review is just my personal opinion of the story. I could not even get all way through the book.
May 25, 2019
Awesome
Loved every part of this book. I could not put it down. I laughed and cried for the charactersbbinlove the world they created. I can not wait to read book 2
Loved every part of this book. I could not put it down. I laughed and cried for the charactersbbinlove the world they created. I can not wait to read book 2
October 1, 2019
I was looking for a dark fantasy romance and this book was recommended on a forum (sorry I can't remember which one) SO glad I picked it up! I love it.
May 24, 2020
Loved it! Epic, dramatic, dark and unforgiving heroes.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews