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The Cursed Bloodstone #1
Betrayer
She marries him for revenge. He marries her for her serpent mark.
On the eve of her twentieth birthday, Sol is kidnapped by a barbarian. He wants her to use the magic she doesn’t have to heal someone. She wants to avenge her mother by killing his chieftain.
Desperate to get close to their leader, she marries one of their warriors. Her husband vows to never bed her. She vows to win his favor.
When she’s plunged into his city, she realizes the depth of his people’s prejudices. They will never accept her if she doesn’t become like them. Even then, it may not be enough to obtain the vengeance she craves.
Author note: From the same world as Tattered. Betrayer is an enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance with plenty of tension and steam. It’s suitable for 18+. It’s the first in a series, ending with a cliffhanger.
On the eve of her twentieth birthday, Sol is kidnapped by a barbarian. He wants her to use the magic she doesn’t have to heal someone. She wants to avenge her mother by killing his chieftain.
Desperate to get close to their leader, she marries one of their warriors. Her husband vows to never bed her. She vows to win his favor.
When she’s plunged into his city, she realizes the depth of his people’s prejudices. They will never accept her if she doesn’t become like them. Even then, it may not be enough to obtain the vengeance she craves.
Author note: From the same world as Tattered. Betrayer is an enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance with plenty of tension and steam. It’s suitable for 18+. It’s the first in a series, ending with a cliffhanger.
344 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 31, 2023
742 people are currently reading
5259 people want to read
About the author
Lianne Kay
12 books134 followersLiAnne Kay lives in Northern Indiana with her husband, six children, and five cats. She’s a plant mom, a part time ninja, and a black belt. (Actually, only one of those is true.)
LiAnne Kay has been writing since she was a child. In her free time, she enjoys long, scenic hikes, snow, (yes, snow!) photography, coffee, and anything Pride and Prejudice.
LiAnne Kay has been writing since she was a child. In her free time, she enjoys long, scenic hikes, snow, (yes, snow!) photography, coffee, and anything Pride and Prejudice.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
March 3, 2023
4.5 stars
Oof, to wait another 3 months for the sequel is a torture for my soul.
I didn't expect to enjoy this one this much. Mainly because this author has never come under my radar at all, hence my hesitance. Then, she created such an exciting world, with interesting history and intriguing characters.
Something I've always liked is the barbarians/unusual customs/nomadic tribes trope in my fantasy romance. Especially when a marriage of convenience came into play. The plot might be a little too predictable then, but come on. How can I not enjoy something that I know I would enjoy? I love a good outsider to a community kind of story. Plus, it's refreshing to see the female character to do majority of the seducing. Our guy here is pretty much a priest in that department. Initially anyway. It was a slow burn relationship, another aspect which I love in this type of setting.
Aside from a little (and I mean little) pacing and editing issue, I think it's a solid fantasy book, a fantastic first book to a series. I'm excited to continue my journey with this author and see how her writings grow in the future.
Oof, to wait another 3 months for the sequel is a torture for my soul.
I didn't expect to enjoy this one this much. Mainly because this author has never come under my radar at all, hence my hesitance. Then, she created such an exciting world, with interesting history and intriguing characters.
Something I've always liked is the barbarians/unusual customs/nomadic tribes trope in my fantasy romance. Especially when a marriage of convenience came into play. The plot might be a little too predictable then, but come on. How can I not enjoy something that I know I would enjoy? I love a good outsider to a community kind of story. Plus, it's refreshing to see the female character to do majority of the seducing. Our guy here is pretty much a priest in that department. Initially anyway. It was a slow burn relationship, another aspect which I love in this type of setting.
Aside from a little (and I mean little) pacing and editing issue, I think it's a solid fantasy book, a fantastic first book to a series. I'm excited to continue my journey with this author and see how her writings grow in the future.
April 7, 2023
Extremely disappointed. I [once again] was fooled by out of context booktok quotes. I felt like the author had an idea that could’ve been something interesting but was ultimately unable to execute it. Honestly the entire book falls flat as the characters lack any real emotional depth or complexity. Worse than that even I’d the fact that there is no actual driving force that moves the story forwards except that the FMC’s husband won’t, and I quote, “bed her” (honestly surprised how long I tolerated the mediocre writing which lacked any human connection or touch. It almost felt like if you gave AI a bunch of prompts for tropes and random plot points along with some useless background character info and it generated the story. Further it’s completely in descriptive like I honestly could not tell you what the characters were supposed to be doing, standing, expressing, or where they were in and amongst the dialogue at several points in the story.) Overall this book was really boring with no story, purpose, or even interesting characters and I really should’ve DNFd the first time I thought about it (which was within the first few chapters).
[SPOILER BELOW HERE]
Honestly kind of glad she stabbed the guy at the end (cliffhanger oh no!) Like she had no revenge plan whatsoever and that was the only action she took besides making sure she stayed with the tribe towards her “vengeance”. Now I can peacefully move on from the book pretend they both died and definitely will not be reading the sequel 💀
[SPOILER BELOW HERE]
Honestly kind of glad she stabbed the guy at the end (cliffhanger oh no!) Like she had no revenge plan whatsoever and that was the only action she took besides making sure she stayed with the tribe towards her “vengeance”. Now I can peacefully move on from the book pretend they both died and definitely will not be reading the sequel 💀
April 24, 2023
Was a bit fanfictiony but i was entertained so yeah
May 17, 2023
This book was frustrating. Well, honestly the FMC was. She was so desperate the whole time. She dedicated 10 YEARS of her life training and researching and learning about this group of people in order to infiltrate and assassinate one of them that killed her mom, and she 1) isn’t that skilled or knowledgeable in anything, and 2) is so bloody desperate the entire time. Like I cannot exaggerate half of the conversations she had were her begging the MMC to have sex with her or her trying to seduce him or her being all insecure because he would sleep with her. It was so annoying. I loved her peripheral relationships, I just wish we knew more. And the ending was a disappointing cliffhanger. Will I be reading the next book? Probably.
March 23, 2023
This is everything I expected ‘Sky in the deep’ to be. Enemies to lovers, slow burn, prophecies and secrets - I can’t wait for the next one!
January 30, 2024
3.5 "Not My Magic" stars
I'm going to ***TRY*** to finish this series before I fully review it, but I do want to offer a brief review of what I've read so far.
Our heroine, Sol, is from the Kyanite tribe, the natural enemies of the Bloodstone tribe. At 10 years old she witnesses the brutal murder of her mother at the hands of the Bloodstone leader, Roland, and vows that vengeance will be hers. It's important to know that Sol has never been able to use magic like the rest of her tribe. Because of this, she has been ostracized and made to feel as an outcast. Anyway, after her mother was buried, the mark of the serpent appeared on her wrist, which is the mark of the Bloodstone. Sol was told by her father that the gods had cursed her and drug her from her home to live in the brothel he owned. He did not have her WORK there, but she had to live there all the same. Long story short, she ends up running away at 16, joins a mercenary army to learn how to fight and is 20 years old when a Bloodstone army commander finds her in a tavern and is shocked to see that she bears the mark of the serpent. He has her drugged and kidnaps her to bring her back to the Bloodstone army campsite. It is here where she decides she can infiltrate the Bloodstone tribe by marrying one of their own and can finally kill Roland.
Sol was fricking annoying. Her inner dialogue sounded incredibly juvenile. Her reasoning skills were downright cringe. Not to mention the author chose to make her incredibly stupid by not allowing her to make simple connections that any normal, sane person would have been able to connect together. I hate it when that happens.
For the most part, I liked the hero, Gabriel. He was masculine and mysterious and helped maintain my attention as a reader. I would have liked to have seen Sol and Gabriel interact a little more intimately and naturally which I really think has been the driving force of keeping me interested in this book. Because I WANT to see their relationship develop. If the formation of that relationship keeps dragging, though, or if I get too annoyed with the miscommunication (or just lack thereof in general) trope, I will most likely DNF the series.
~First book ends on a cliffhanger and the marriage remains unconsummated.~
PS. I'm sure this is most likely a regional thing, but the author keeps using the word "empathic", where I would normally use "empathetic". I looked it up and apparently it means the same thing and can be used interchangeably, but it still stings every time I read it and feels wrong. Oh and at around the 78% mark, the word "terracotta" had already been used 17 times....it was starting to prickle the nerves a bit. But I do understand and acknowledge that these complaints are 100%% trivial LOL!
I'm going to ***TRY*** to finish this series before I fully review it, but I do want to offer a brief review of what I've read so far.
Our heroine, Sol, is from the Kyanite tribe, the natural enemies of the Bloodstone tribe. At 10 years old she witnesses the brutal murder of her mother at the hands of the Bloodstone leader, Roland, and vows that vengeance will be hers. It's important to know that Sol has never been able to use magic like the rest of her tribe. Because of this, she has been ostracized and made to feel as an outcast. Anyway, after her mother was buried, the mark of the serpent appeared on her wrist, which is the mark of the Bloodstone. Sol was told by her father that the gods had cursed her and drug her from her home to live in the brothel he owned. He did not have her WORK there, but she had to live there all the same. Long story short, she ends up running away at 16, joins a mercenary army to learn how to fight and is 20 years old when a Bloodstone army commander finds her in a tavern and is shocked to see that she bears the mark of the serpent. He has her drugged and kidnaps her to bring her back to the Bloodstone army campsite. It is here where she decides she can infiltrate the Bloodstone tribe by marrying one of their own and can finally kill Roland.
Sol was fricking annoying. Her inner dialogue sounded incredibly juvenile. Her reasoning skills were downright cringe. Not to mention the author chose to make her incredibly stupid by not allowing her to make simple connections that any normal, sane person would have been able to connect together. I hate it when that happens.
For the most part, I liked the hero, Gabriel. He was masculine and mysterious and helped maintain my attention as a reader. I would have liked to have seen Sol and Gabriel interact a little more intimately and naturally which I really think has been the driving force of keeping me interested in this book. Because I WANT to see their relationship develop. If the formation of that relationship keeps dragging, though, or if I get too annoyed with the miscommunication (or just lack thereof in general) trope, I will most likely DNF the series.
~First book ends on a cliffhanger and the marriage remains unconsummated.~
PS. I'm sure this is most likely a regional thing, but the author keeps using the word "empathic", where I would normally use "empathetic". I looked it up and apparently it means the same thing and can be used interchangeably, but it still stings every time I read it and feels wrong. Oh and at around the 78% mark, the word "terracotta" had already been used 17 times....it was starting to prickle the nerves a bit. But I do understand and acknowledge that these complaints are 100%% trivial LOL!
April 22, 2023
“I wish i didn’t have to do this.”
“I want to do this more than anything.”
“I trained for this I’m awesome.”
“I’m not good enough I’m a nobody.”
“I like him. I cant betray him.”
“I have to betray him, they all deserve it.”
“I want to do this more than anything.”
“I trained for this I’m awesome.”
“I’m not good enough I’m a nobody.”
“I like him. I cant betray him.”
“I have to betray him, they all deserve it.”
February 11, 2023
Could use another round of edits but story seems interesting enough. Big cliffhanger so I'll probably read the second one when it comes out
February 18, 2024
I had very low expectations for this book considering that I'd never heard of this series nor author, however I'm so glad to note that this was pretty well done barbarian/healer romance! 👏
The final few chapters were crazy and I'm still sad about that unexpected death but overall great book 🤩 the finale proves exactly why one must 'look before one kills' 👀. amateur 🤷🏻♀️
Our MMC and FMC have a slow burn, push pull relationship filled with angst and tension 🔥
An enemies to lovers that's well done and going by the ending, I'd say we have another book of them going back to enemies lol 🤣
Also, they get a binding tattoo during their marriage of inconvenience lol..seems a tad too much but also cute once you know the meaning behind it 🤭
4 stars 💕
Also, please let me know your fav barbarian romances! The best part about this was there was so much steam but not much smut which is exactly what I was looking for 🔥
The final few chapters were crazy and I'm still sad about that unexpected death but overall great book 🤩 the finale proves exactly why one must 'look before one kills' 👀. amateur 🤷🏻♀️
Our MMC and FMC have a slow burn, push pull relationship filled with angst and tension 🔥
An enemies to lovers that's well done and going by the ending, I'd say we have another book of them going back to enemies lol 🤣
Also, they get a binding tattoo during their marriage of inconvenience lol..seems a tad too much but also cute once you know the meaning behind it 🤭
4 stars 💕
Also, please let me know your fav barbarian romances! The best part about this was there was so much steam but not much smut which is exactly what I was looking for 🔥
May 25, 2023
Jaha, det var ju en plot twist. Synd bara att dialogen strax innan the grand reveal förstörde överraskningsmomentet bara.
April 10, 2023
As soon as I returned it to kindle unlimited, I immediately forgot what it’s title was, so I couldn’t add it to Goodreads. I just looked it up now!
Overall: Not an enemies-to-lovers. More like, enemies to indifferently.
SPOILERS:
-She really wants to kill the man who killed her mother. When she finds out he’s already dead, she’s like, I guess I’ll kill his son & heir, Hector, instead. Why? Who knows what is really driving her.
-She tries to kill her nemesis, only to discover that he is really her husband (duh!) the book ends with this cliffhanger moment.
- The main plot point is her wanting to sleep with her husband (but not really?), so that she can stay to kill her mother’s murderer’s son? He has married her because a psychic told him to. She accidentally brings magic back to the maybe bad guys?
Overall: Not an enemies-to-lovers. More like, enemies to indifferently.
SPOILERS:
-She really wants to kill the man who killed her mother. When she finds out he’s already dead, she’s like, I guess I’ll kill his son & heir, Hector, instead. Why? Who knows what is really driving her.
-She tries to kill her nemesis, only to discover that he is really her husband (duh!) the book ends with this cliffhanger moment.
- The main plot point is her wanting to sleep with her husband (but not really?), so that she can stay to kill her mother’s murderer’s son? He has married her because a psychic told him to. She accidentally brings magic back to the maybe bad guys?
September 2, 2024
*Betrayer* was such an emotional rollercoaster for me. Right from the very first page, I was completely drawn in. The way the story weaves betrayal, trust, and all these unexpected twists together was just fascinating. The characters felt so real and layered—I could really connect with their struggles and emotions. What stood out the most to me was how brilliantly the author built up the tension. Every time I thought I had things figured out, the story surprised me again, right up until the very end. It even reminded me of a book I loved in my youth—not because of the plot, but because of the writing style—which made me enjoy *Betrayer* even more. I couldn’t put it down and honestly, I can’t wait to see what Lianne Key comes up with next!
February 5, 2023
Finally, a proper slow burn. I enjoyed the story and I wasn't expecting the twist at the end.
I did feel like I was missing a connection to the characters, so that I couldn't empathise with them. The relationship between Gabriel and Sol is kinda stilted cos of the mistrust, so I'm very excited to see what happens next.
I did feel like I was missing a connection to the characters, so that I couldn't empathise with them. The relationship between Gabriel and Sol is kinda stilted cos of the mistrust, so I'm very excited to see what happens next.
February 21, 2023
Story was rather dull , it is hard to be engaged in a book where FL is pursuing the ML and she is so confused about her wanting vengeance and being attracted to this guy . I would have loved to see the ML’s POV.
April 3, 2023
I enjoyed the book, great lil plot twist at the end and the build up between them was fantastic 👏
January 21, 2023
Betrayer (The Cursed Bloodstone) - LiAnne Kay
4⭐️/5 ~🇪🇸
•Gracias a la autora por la oportunidad de leer una ✨copia anticipada del libro✨ a cambio de una reseña honesta•
Cliffhanger x1000✔️ Matrimonio forzado ✔️ enemies-to-… (sí, pero no 😂)
¿Por qué me hacéis esto?😫😫 Ese final es ilegal, es inhumano. Necesito el segundo ¡urgentemente!
~Mientras iba leyendo y acabando el libro, me decía que, aunque me ha enganchado mucho, veía que todo pasaba muy rápido. No llega a hacer que la historia sea poco creíble, pero si que pensaba que más pausado sería mejor. Pero luego llegó ESE final. Esos últimos 10 minutos que, ¿¡Qué!? ¿¡Por qué!? 😫
~Ese final es lo que me hecho calificarlo así, eso y que no podía parar de leer. Sobre todo porque quería ver las escenas de los protagonistas, para ver si llegan a confiar el uno en el otro🥺.
~También me ha gustado la forma de escribir (expresiones y demás) y quitando alguna falta leve (como decir que era un persona la que hablaba cuando era otra), en ese aspecto todo correcto😊.
~La trama ha sido muy pausada, no pasa nada relevante hasta el final🤧 que quiero leer ya (porque acaba en la mejor parte). Porque no, no me esperaba ese giro de los acontecimientos.
~Deseando leer el segundo🥹
••••••
4⭐️/5 ~🇬🇧
•Thanks to the author for the opportunity to read an✨ARC✨ in exchange for an honest review•
Cliffhanger x1000✔️ Forced marriage ✔️ enemies-to-... (yes, but no 😂)
Why are you doing this to me?😫😫 That ending is illegal, it's inhuman. I need the second one urgently!
~As I was reading and finishing the book, I was saying to myself that, although I was really hooked, I found it all happened too fast. It didn't make the story unbelievable, but I did think that slower pacing would be better. But then came THAT ending. Those last 10 minutes… what!? why!? 😫
~That ending is what made me rate it that way, that and I couldn't stop reading. Especially because I wanted to see the scenes of the main characters, to see if they get to trust each other🥺.
~I also liked the way of writing (expressions and so on) and apart from some slight mistakes (like saying that it was a person who was talking when it was someone else), in that aspect everything was correct😊.
~The plot has been very slow, nothing relevant happens until the end🤧 that I want to read already (because it ends at the best part). Because no, I wasn't expecting that turn of events.
~Wanting to read the second one🥹.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
4⭐️/5 ~🇪🇸
•Gracias a la autora por la oportunidad de leer una ✨copia anticipada del libro✨ a cambio de una reseña honesta•
Cliffhanger x1000✔️ Matrimonio forzado ✔️ enemies-to-… (sí, pero no 😂)
¿Por qué me hacéis esto?😫😫 Ese final es ilegal, es inhumano. Necesito el segundo ¡urgentemente!
~Mientras iba leyendo y acabando el libro, me decía que, aunque me ha enganchado mucho, veía que todo pasaba muy rápido. No llega a hacer que la historia sea poco creíble, pero si que pensaba que más pausado sería mejor. Pero luego llegó ESE final. Esos últimos 10 minutos que, ¿¡Qué!? ¿¡Por qué!? 😫
~Ese final es lo que me hecho calificarlo así, eso y que no podía parar de leer. Sobre todo porque quería ver las escenas de los protagonistas, para ver si llegan a confiar el uno en el otro🥺.
~También me ha gustado la forma de escribir (expresiones y demás) y quitando alguna falta leve (como decir que era un persona la que hablaba cuando era otra), en ese aspecto todo correcto😊.
~La trama ha sido muy pausada, no pasa nada relevante hasta el final🤧 que quiero leer ya (porque acaba en la mejor parte). Porque no, no me esperaba ese giro de los acontecimientos.
~Deseando leer el segundo🥹
••••••
4⭐️/5 ~🇬🇧
•Thanks to the author for the opportunity to read an✨ARC✨ in exchange for an honest review•
Cliffhanger x1000✔️ Forced marriage ✔️ enemies-to-... (yes, but no 😂)
Why are you doing this to me?😫😫 That ending is illegal, it's inhuman. I need the second one urgently!
~As I was reading and finishing the book, I was saying to myself that, although I was really hooked, I found it all happened too fast. It didn't make the story unbelievable, but I did think that slower pacing would be better. But then came THAT ending. Those last 10 minutes… what!? why!? 😫
~That ending is what made me rate it that way, that and I couldn't stop reading. Especially because I wanted to see the scenes of the main characters, to see if they get to trust each other🥺.
~I also liked the way of writing (expressions and so on) and apart from some slight mistakes (like saying that it was a person who was talking when it was someone else), in that aspect everything was correct😊.
~The plot has been very slow, nothing relevant happens until the end🤧 that I want to read already (because it ends at the best part). Because no, I wasn't expecting that turn of events.
~Wanting to read the second one🥹.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 28, 2025
⭐️⭐️ - 2.5 stars
While this book is not very popular at all, it popped up on TikTok for me and I was intrigued by it's plot summary. The writing was fine but ultimately I was just disappointed with the characterization of the MFC. I just didn't resonate with her at all based on her motivations. Sol wants to avenge the death of her mother (which happened when she was a child) by killing the chieftain of a rivaling clan. In order to do so, she allows herself to be kidnapped by a barbarian and to be held in their camp -- all interesting plot points.
Unfortunately this really took me out of the book and I won't be continuing with the series -- there is a really good plot twist at the end of the story though that might redeem this book for some.
While this book is not very popular at all, it popped up on TikTok for me and I was intrigued by it's plot summary. The writing was fine but ultimately I was just disappointed with the characterization of the MFC. I just didn't resonate with her at all based on her motivations. Sol wants to avenge the death of her mother (which happened when she was a child) by killing the chieftain of a rivaling clan. In order to do so, she allows herself to be kidnapped by a barbarian and to be held in their camp -- all interesting plot points.
Unfortunately this really took me out of the book and I won't be continuing with the series -- there is a really good plot twist at the end of the story though that might redeem this book for some.
March 31, 2024
I came here from a quote I saw on Instagram it’s 3 am I started this book at 8 am yesterday and I devoured it.
Did it make me cry? Yes.
Is there a lot of editing issues? Yes. (Mainly redundancy and I struggled with the prose at times.)
Did I enjoy it? Absolutely. The ending had me gasping so loud I woke my husband. (!!!!!!)
Honestly I’m really basing the stars off vibes alone. Came for the forced marriage stayed for the slow burn.
Did it make me cry? Yes.
Is there a lot of editing issues? Yes. (Mainly redundancy and I struggled with the prose at times.)
Did I enjoy it? Absolutely. The ending had me gasping so loud I woke my husband. (!!!!!!)
Honestly I’m really basing the stars off vibes alone. Came for the forced marriage stayed for the slow burn.
May 4, 2023
ok so im HELLA confused.
was this a good book ? yes. was it a romance ? yes. will i be reading the second one ? no. my attention was hooked but i also have no emotional investment to the characters. on the flip side, the writing and the plot ATEEEEE. but like, i don’t care what happens yk ? overall solid 4 ⭐️, but no heavy investment.
was this a good book ? yes. was it a romance ? yes. will i be reading the second one ? no. my attention was hooked but i also have no emotional investment to the characters. on the flip side, the writing and the plot ATEEEEE. but like, i don’t care what happens yk ? overall solid 4 ⭐️, but no heavy investment.
could-not-finish
April 18, 2024Gave up at like 60% because I didn’t see the point of the story? Sol’s vendetta was like a far off point. All she cared about was sleeping with her husband. That’s all it takes to pause your life goal?
October 19, 2025
good bones, terrible execution. if you care, just take a peek at all the other two star reviews and you’ll see why i landed here. disappointed bc it really had an excellent premise.
December 14, 2023
Alright this was my first fantasy Romance, and WOOO okay I’m into fantasy now
August 9, 2023
Mouth gaping, I need book 2
Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight
Won't somebody help me chase the shadows away?
Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight
Take me through the darkness to the break of the day
Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight
Won't somebody help me chase the shadows away?
Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight
Take me through the darkness to the break of the day
January 14, 2023
I immensively enjoyed this story, so much I read the book in one day! This read has all the elements making a fantasy book unputdownable!
Genuine World build and with culture and traditions, that allows the world lived no matter how perilous being believeble and approachable for reader✔️
Barbarians✔️
Witches ✔️
Magic system✔️
Significant Serpents Mark ✔️
Hidden Identity✔️
Enemies to Lovers Slowburn✔️ Where this all goes its going to be beautiful thing at the end! so strap in for a rough barbarian ride.... but the sexual tension is rife and written with perfection🤌.
He fell first✔️
FMC with tenacity and guile to infilrate and hold her line! - written deftly Sol's restraint in pretending to be meek and non threatening - led to some amusing situations that had me smiling so many times.I fell in love with Sol, underdog and righter of wrongs.Sol has lost so much.
Forced Proximity✔️
One Horse Trope✔️ this is a clever lil scene.
Avenge✔️
and a fantastical climactic assasination/battle scene in the final chapters.
Everything I hope to find in a fantasy and more. I love this book so much.
Im a vibe and feels reviewer.
I feel honoured to have ARC copy of one Lianne Kay books. I only ARC review books I am purchasing myself.
Where for art thou book 2!!!
I update reviews on rereads.
Jasmin E Reads
Genuine World build and with culture and traditions, that allows the world lived no matter how perilous being believeble and approachable for reader✔️
Barbarians✔️
Witches ✔️
Magic system✔️
Significant Serpents Mark ✔️
Hidden Identity✔️
Enemies to Lovers Slowburn✔️ Where this all goes its going to be beautiful thing at the end! so strap in for a rough barbarian ride.... but the sexual tension is rife and written with perfection🤌.
He fell first✔️
FMC with tenacity and guile to infilrate and hold her line! - written deftly Sol's restraint in pretending to be meek and non threatening - led to some amusing situations that had me smiling so many times.I fell in love with Sol, underdog and righter of wrongs.Sol has lost so much.
Forced Proximity✔️
One Horse Trope✔️ this is a clever lil scene.
Avenge✔️
and a fantastical climactic assasination/battle scene in the final chapters.
Everything I hope to find in a fantasy and more. I love this book so much.
Im a vibe and feels reviewer.
I feel honoured to have ARC copy of one Lianne Kay books. I only ARC review books I am purchasing myself.
Where for art thou book 2!!!
I update reviews on rereads.
Jasmin E Reads
February 26, 2023
This is the first book I’ve ever downloaded from KU from an instagram reel, and I must say, I never expected a book advertisement to make me immediately pick up my kindle to download. But I did, and I absolutely devoured this book in two days.
I found this book to have a very unique plot line with characters that had their own sneaky intentions and tribe loyalties. The idea of a woman, hellbent on killing a rival tribe’s leader over the death of her mother, made for an interesting plot that I had not read before. Her rival-tribe husband is smart, kind, and the exact opposite of what she expects from his people, but at the same time, both were using each other to achieve an end that only would lead to the downfall of the other. Truly, I think Gabriel and Sol would have worked extremely well together had their circumstances been different, and, you know, the whole fate of their tribes ordeal.
With that being said, I gave this book three stars because I felt the characters were underdeveloped in certain areas and the writing seemed to jump from place to place without cohesion. I would have loved to see some more chapters where we saw why the Bloodstones could have been redeemable, and I would have loved to see her experience (and comprehend) that maybe her tribe isn’t the good guys in every situation. Politics are complex and there is more to this world than… well, her. As a reader, we’re left in the dark on many secrets because our protagonist is, but I feel like there were moments where the character could have pressed more or been more convincing to gain the information rather than accepting that’s all she gets for right now. She’s an outsider who is trying to fit in, yes, but she’s still got an agenda.
But, with all of THAT being said, I immediately preordered the next book because I loved the story that much. So feel free to take my critiques for what you will, but if you’re looking for a fantasy book that’s light hearted, SLOW BURN romance, and with a unique plot, I would recommend this highly.
I found this book to have a very unique plot line with characters that had their own sneaky intentions and tribe loyalties. The idea of a woman, hellbent on killing a rival tribe’s leader over the death of her mother, made for an interesting plot that I had not read before. Her rival-tribe husband is smart, kind, and the exact opposite of what she expects from his people, but at the same time, both were using each other to achieve an end that only would lead to the downfall of the other. Truly, I think Gabriel and Sol would have worked extremely well together had their circumstances been different, and, you know, the whole fate of their tribes ordeal.
With that being said, I gave this book three stars because I felt the characters were underdeveloped in certain areas and the writing seemed to jump from place to place without cohesion. I would have loved to see some more chapters where we saw why the Bloodstones could have been redeemable, and I would have loved to see her experience (and comprehend) that maybe her tribe isn’t the good guys in every situation. Politics are complex and there is more to this world than… well, her. As a reader, we’re left in the dark on many secrets because our protagonist is, but I feel like there were moments where the character could have pressed more or been more convincing to gain the information rather than accepting that’s all she gets for right now. She’s an outsider who is trying to fit in, yes, but she’s still got an agenda.
But, with all of THAT being said, I immediately preordered the next book because I loved the story that much. So feel free to take my critiques for what you will, but if you’re looking for a fantasy book that’s light hearted, SLOW BURN romance, and with a unique plot, I would recommend this highly.
June 14, 2023
I really wanted to like this, and I tried to finish it but I just can't
DNF @48%
the dialogue is very cheesy
"are you planning to get sloshed?"
"no I just like wine."
"I see. perhaps you should grow grapes to keep up with your obsession."
😬😬😬
DNF @48%
the dialogue is very cheesy
"are you planning to get sloshed?"
"no I just like wine."
"I see. perhaps you should grow grapes to keep up with your obsession."
😬😬😬
Read
October 17, 2025DNF @ 45%/start of chapter 21.
I was enjoying this at first. The premise is interesting, and even though I'm not a big fan of revenge plots in the sense that the main character is "going undercover" or hiding who they are or whatever, it had my attention in the beginning.
But the FMC is supposed to have been preparing for this--studying the Bloodstone people, training with a merc army for FOUR YEARS, etc.--for a long time. She has no plan, has no skill at deception, and can provide no good reason for staying with the Bloodstone camp other than, "I just want to belong." It's such a weak argument and it's no wonder Gabriel is like, "Well, you're obviously lying."
Then her offer to them to allow her to stay is that she'll marry one of their warriors. Okay, why tf would they want that or care? Absolutely no reason they should have given this any thought.
Then she marries Gabriel and all she can focus on is the fact that he won't sleep with her.
Sooo I'm done.
Almost made it halfway, so despite the fact that I wouldn't usually, I'm considering it "read," but I'm not rating it since I didn't finish it.
I was enjoying this at first. The premise is interesting, and even though I'm not a big fan of revenge plots in the sense that the main character is "going undercover" or hiding who they are or whatever, it had my attention in the beginning.
But the FMC is supposed to have been preparing for this--studying the Bloodstone people, training with a merc army for FOUR YEARS, etc.--for a long time. She has no plan, has no skill at deception, and can provide no good reason for staying with the Bloodstone camp other than, "I just want to belong." It's such a weak argument and it's no wonder Gabriel is like, "Well, you're obviously lying."
Then her offer to them to allow her to stay is that she'll marry one of their warriors. Okay, why tf would they want that or care? Absolutely no reason they should have given this any thought.
Then she marries Gabriel and all she can focus on is the fact that he won't sleep with her.
Sooo I'm done.
Almost made it halfway, so despite the fact that I wouldn't usually, I'm considering it "read," but I'm not rating it since I didn't finish it.
December 14, 2023
It it one of the best book I ever red. I am not one that gives 5 stars to every book, I can count on my fingers those, but this fist book was spectacular. It has everything you can desire: enemies to lovers, tumultuous feeling, every description it was really well done, like you feel the story on your skin and it was so much time that it hadn't happened from all the books I red. All along the story nothing is easy or banal, all the characters are particular, interesting, intriguing. The FL and the ML were both so frustrating (in a good way 😉) but so very truthful to their self, and the end it's heartbreaking and arghhhhh I REALLY WANT THE SEQUEL !!! Like right now!!! I screamed so much in those last pages !!!! And now that I know the end I want to read this book from the beginning!!!!
I can have enough work to express how much I love it.
I can have enough work to express how much I love it.
June 23, 2023
This one could have been amazing, but unfortunately it fell completely flat. There’s no real depth given to any of the characters or plot lines. Everything feels very surface level and nothing is truly explored.
For example the revenge plot (the driving force for our protagonist) really wasn’t fleshed out at all. After the marriage, Sol doesn’t actually do…anything. As time passes she doesn’t really piece any information together either, despite her character repeatedly saying that “she needed to uncover secrets”. No one trusts her (and she’s not going out of her way to make them trust her), so she’s not gaining any information from them to start formulating a revenge plan.
Sol spends the whole book is just kind of sitting there, thinking about all the things she wants to do, but putting none of it in action.
For example the revenge plot (the driving force for our protagonist) really wasn’t fleshed out at all. After the marriage, Sol doesn’t actually do…anything. As time passes she doesn’t really piece any information together either, despite her character repeatedly saying that “she needed to uncover secrets”. No one trusts her (and she’s not going out of her way to make them trust her), so she’s not gaining any information from them to start formulating a revenge plan.
Sol spends the whole book is just kind of sitting there, thinking about all the things she wants to do, but putting none of it in action.
December 27, 2024
This book was somewhere between okay and good. The characters felt a little inconsistent to me, especially the FMC. She is so obsessed with getting her revenge (rightfully so, I'm never going to discount a woman's rage and need for revenge) but also folds so quickly at the prospect of a romantic relationship. She doesn't only fold she's like hella desperate to sleep with this guy who she constantly refers to as her enemy. Like? Ma'am? Make up your mind please. It was honestly the desperation of it all that put me off cause he's literally saying no and she's still throwing herself at this guy. Overall just yucky. But I'm a sucker for a a story with just a semblance of a plot and the plot twist in this one got me good. So naturally I had to read the rest of the series. 3 stars just for the twist that I absolutely did not see coming even though I probably should have.
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