A Vow of Ruin

The Thornheart Trials #2

by Sherilee Gray

Iris

It’s the scars you can’t see…

After my last boyfriend tried to kill me, I swore off relationships for life. So why can’t I stop thinking about the dangerous—and completely unstable—alpha of the new wolf pack in town?

Thankfully, my heart isn’t in any danger, because Draven Moreau hates me with a fiery passion.

But when witches start disappearing and the fate of our coven’s magic falls to me, I desperately need his help. Only he doesn’t want anything to do with me…until he does. With a hidden enemy drawing me into their sick and twisted game, Draven suddenly wants me close, whether I like it or not.

As darkness closes in and the horrors of the past are repeated, I’ll have to fight for my life—and a love I’d never dared to hope for.

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Urban Fantasy, Shapeshifters, Witches

416 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 29, 2022

About the author

Sherilee Gray is a kiwi girl and lives in beautiful New Zealand with her husband and their two children. When she isn't writing sexy contemporary and paranormal romance, searching for her next alpha hero on Pinterest, or fueling her voracious book addiction, she can be found dreaming of far off places with a mug of tea in one hand and a bar of chocolate in the other.

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Reviews

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Vow of Ruin is book two in The Thornheart Trials series by Sherilee Gray. I fell madly, head over heels with the first book in this series, A Curse in Darkness, so I’ve been anxiously awaiting this next book, Iris’s book and wow!!! It was everything I hoped for and more! This book could be read as a stand alone but would be much easier to understand and you would have a better connection to the characters if you read them in order.



Iris Thornheart watched her older sister, Willow, go through her trials and also find her mate. Now, it’s Iris’s turn to go through her own trials. First, she must accomplish a task given to her by Mother (Mother Nature) and then, if she accomplishes that, she must come out the victor in a battle against another witch. If she loses, her entire family will lose their powers. What Iris doesn’t want is a mate. After what happened a year ago, she has vowed never to be involved with a man again. She blames herself for so much of what happened. She will never give her heart to anyone again.



Draven Moreau is a wolf shifter and is the alpha of the Silver Claw Pack. Draven has only been in Roxburgh for about a year. The Thornheart’s are his mortal enemies and he has good reason for feeling this way. His life and the life of many of his pack members, has been deeply scarred by their actions. He wants revenge for what happened to them and it is Iris that will pay the price.

Iris has no idea why the new alpha seems to despise her so much. When young witches start to disappear in Roxburgh, Iris learns that it will be her task to find out why and to save them. Being anywhere near Draven seems to stir up all kinds of unwanted feelings within her. But when she needs help, it’s him that she turns to. They both soon discover that fate has plans for the two of them. That staying away from each other is perhaps not what they really want. That if they give each other a chance, that what they might have together is better than anything they could have ever imagined.

“Iris needed me. Almost as much as I needed her, of that, I was positive.
And I was keeping her. No matter what.”



This book was over the moon amazing. I was addicted by the end of the prologue and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I loved watching Iris and Draven find their way together. Iris was so brave, both in her task, and in her attraction to Draven. I also have to mention that I adore the relationship between the Thornheart sisters. They are so close and the love between them just leaps off the pages. I also loved the way Draven was with his pack. Wolf shifters are naturally affectionate and it was clear how much his pack loved him.



This book, like the first one, is an experience you don’t want to miss. It’s a world I didn’t want to leave. Now I have to be patient and wait for the next book which will be Rose’s book. I think I’m going to be most anxious for this one.

For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...

[Dani (Daniiireads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A year after Willow successfully finished her final trial for The Mother and after a night that completely changed all of the Thornheart women’s lives, Iris feels The Mother call her and is set on what feels like an impossible task.

Witches have started to go missing, Iris is seeing visions, and knows that somehow this is all connected to what she must do for The Mother, but she needs more protection than her sweet familiar Nia can offer, and finds herself asking the alpha of the Silver Claw pack for aid. There’s only one small problem, Draven hates her and she doesn’t know why.

Draven hates the connection he feels to Iris and is fully convinced that she is Selene, a distant relative of Iris’s, who tricked and used his love for her several hundred years ago. Draven’s all consuming hatred has blinded him, and he is willing do anything in his power to get revenge. The more time spent together has Draven realizing maybe Iris isn’t Selene after all, and when they are brought together permanently… Well that throws a wrench in all his plans.

I didn’t think it was possible to top A Curse in Darkness, but Iris and Draven‘a story in A Vow of Ruin completely blew it out of the water. This series is absolutely phenomenal, and I cannot wait for Rose’s book.

[Carvanz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was captivating with its high drama and dark mystery. I couldn’t put it down!





Iris is the next sister to enter the trials and she’s carrying a lot on her shoulders. She was committed to succeed even as her life was at risk several times. I loved that she never wavered in what she needed to do, despite not really knowing what to do in order to come out on the other side.





Draven was super alpha because, well, he was the alpha wolf. His protectiveness over Iris was exactly what I crave in a hero. He was far from perfect, but watching him fight through his issues and then fight to win his mate was all worth it.





Both Iris and Draven have pasts that have left them struggling to trust. This conflict creates a lot of push and pull although the pull, at least on Draven’s part, is stronger than his push. Their chemistry sizzled across the pages making their connection all the more believable.





This book covers a lot with Iris’ trial, the mystery of her family’s cemetery, the wolf packs’ reaction to her and the fact that witches are missing. When you add all of that with not only the romantic conflict, but the upcoming story of one of the other sisters, I couldn’t tear myself away. Despite its length, this has a great pace to it and it never bogged down.





Ms. Gray baited the hook for the next book in such a way that I’m running with it and screaming for the next one NOW!

Dual POV
Safe no om drama; ow drama is due to the H’s ex who tricked him and entrapped him and his pack for hundreds of years although it is just her history that causes an issue between h/H rather than her presence; h not a virgin; H not a manwhore
Triggers no apparent triggers
Smexy times plenty of steam that never takes over the story; explicit details; condom not used and not discussed until after the fact although h is safe and STDs not an issue due to him being a wolf shifter

[G_occasionally_reads (semi-hiatus cause vacay) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried. I tried to pull through, but nope. I do not need this sh*t in my life.

🧙🏻 a scarred but also abusive shapeshifter who says women are conniving, but then ends up being conniving himself
🐺 a shapeshifter who does not have a clue what consent means (he touches Iris when she's passed out, he forced her into a union, he stalks her)
🧙🏻 a witch who is way too okay with all that.

Sorry, no.

[Shelley C · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Thornheart Trials continue❣️

At the end of Willow’s book, Iris sees Draven, the Alpha wolf shifter, and he leaves her with an ominous message. Iris, however, continues with her life but when the Mother calls on her to complete her task she will need help that does not come from her family😢Iris’s task leads her on a path of discovery about her ancestors that is dark and twisted and unfortunately, Draven lies at the heart of some secrets that are revealed and the truth is so much more shocking than even I expected😱

I absolutely adored this story of Iris and Draven as it’s so different to Willow’s story but still draws you in and has your heart racing in suspense to first discover all secrets about the Thornhearts and their past but also in fear as you worry alongside Iris and if she will finish her task in the time allotted her😳

If you haven’t started any books by this author, you need to do yourselves a favour and start reading as soon as possible🤩 I received an advanced copy and willingly leave my honest review❤️

[Lori R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

What.
A.
Ride. !!!!!

This is another one of those superbly written stories that blew me away, WOWed me in all the ways possible, and left me completely happy and sated.

Yet I want more.
Sherilee Gray has me addicted!!!

The end of book 1 left me needing this book, anxiously awaiting, craving it. My mind is still reeling, my heart is still pounding, my things are still full of zings.

It was SO GOOD!! Once again I am in awe of Ms. Gray’s words and masterful storytelling. OUTSTANDING is too mild of an adjective.

Full of emotional goodness, raw intensity, and slow burn deliciousness, I devoured this story. I am a sucker for enemies-to-lovers and my. oh. my. This was an excellent example of that, perfectly done.

Both Draven and Iris have trust issues, for very good reasons. This story takes you on their action-packed journey of what fate has in store for them.

Draven is the alpha of his pack. He is deliciously primal and animalistic and seductive and has the filthiest mouth. *huge smile* Yet he’s one of the sweetest and swooniest alphas I’ve read. I could feel the love he has for Iris. The anticipation, the sexual tension, the sizzling hot chemistry was enough to make me spike a fever.

I was on the edge of my seat. My kindle was on the verge of overheating…or breaking from me gripping it so tightly. I couldn’t get enough! The passion was through the roof.

For most of this book, I was bursting at the seams with so many different emotions. At times it was gut-wrenching, most of the time heart-pounding, and ALL the time utterly captivating. My craving for this book was more than satisfied.

This story rocked my socks off.
Pure madness and fucking genius at the same time.

I have grown to love these characters, and I feel as if I’m part of this world, a member of their coven, a part of the pack. I want to be. I felt like I was there the entire time. Transported to this place where witches and wolf shifters live, where demons lurk in the forest, where magic and spells are a normal, every day occurrence.

This is an amazingly created world, written by this crazy talented author and I just want to squeeze her and thank her and see inside that mind of hers.

And my goodness did the author leave quite the tease for the next book at the end! GEEZ, MAN. I need the next book yesterday!

If you’ve read and loved book one, you NEED this book!

[Em (semi-hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a big time fanatic of the trope enemies to lovers and so, I couldn’t put this book down. I was hooked on to the story since the very beginning. I really liked the writing style, the intricate web of the story, relatable characters, the voice of the heroine, their quick wit and sharp minds, the sweeping romance; the angst, the chemistry, and a plot that has kept me guessing until the very end. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the read for the mystery to unravel. And, the secondary characters were fun too. But, what I really loved was to watch Iris and Draven find their way together.

Moreover, I absolutely have a liking of the way Gray heavily focused on the individual character growth and development, and it is something I very much look forward to in my reads.

I loved every second of it and can’t wait enough for the next book already!!

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon & on Apple iBooks today (6/25/2023)! 🎁

[Timitra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rated 4.5 Stars

I thoroughly enjoyed A Vow of Ruin and I’m eagerly anticipating the next book in the series. I loved Draven and Iris’ story. It was intense. It was sexy. It was steamy. It was awesome. There was action and suspense. I knew who the villain was pretty early on but it didn’t at all detract from my enjoyment of the story. If I didn’t have other obligations I would’ve read this book in one sitting. I loved it and I’m so ready for the next one. I very highly recommend it.



Copy provided by author

[Catherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were moments where I enjoyed the book and couldn't put it down, unfortunately there were way too many moments where I rolled my eyes and thought the male mc was an arsehole.

I love werewolf books, I swear I do, but if people write one more where they use the excuse of the "mating bond" to behave like this guy did, I'm going to lose my mind.
It's called manipulation not love.

[Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5*

Original review

This book was provided by the author through Wildfire Marketing Solutions in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Sherilee Gray and Wildfire Marketing Solutions!

A Vow of Ruin is the second book in The Thornheart Trials series and tells the story of Iris and Draven. Although this is the second book in the series, it can be read as a standalone.

When I read the synopsis of A Vow of Ruin, I knew that this book was something for me. Stupid me requested the book without looking up whether it was a sequel or not, but luckily A Vow of Ruin can be read as a standalone. I did have the feeling like I missed a few important bits, but it didn’t really bother me that much because the story was mainly about Iris and Draven. I do look forward to reading the first book in The Thornheart Trials series, A Curse in Darkness, because I’d love to read Willow and Warrick’s story.

A Vow of Ruin is about Iris, a witch, and Draven, a wolf shifter. I really loved getting to know both characters and seeing them fall for each other. Iris is such a brave character, not only for her witch task but also for falling for Draven. He was so not easy on her in the beginning of the book. I also really loved Draven because although he was kind of mean, he also had this beautiful caring side. I liked seeing him with his pack and eventually with Iris. 

A Vow of Ruin was such an amazing Fantasy Romance, and I’m so happy that I picked up this book. Sherilee Gray is a new author for me, and I’m looking forward to reading more of her books! I’m so excited to pick up A Curse in the Darkness, and I’m excited for the next book in the series. This book is going to be about Rose and Ronan!

[Readiculous 📚🖤👱🏼‍♀️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read the first book in this series multiple times and absolutely love it! I never started this one because it has the enemies to lovers trope and I don’t really enjoy that. I want my guy to fall for the girl right away, chase her and do whatever is necessary to make her his. That’s why I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the first. Draven says such incredibly hurtful things to Iris and their love was way too forced (the fates made them want each other). Draven didn’t totally trust Iris (even though he chased her and protected her) up until 85 (!!) percent. So, the romance was seriously lacking for me. We do get some hot spice, so there’s that. What saved this book and kept me intrigued was the plot though. This fantasy story is so full bodied and intriguing. So even though I mainly read books for the romance, the plot kept me flipping the pages. I’m intrigued by Rose’s story, so I will continue the series.

Safety:
- OW: H was trapped by an ‘ex’ for 300 years. She is mentioned a lot and cause of H’s hate of h and trust issues.
- OM: a vampire wants h. Makes H jealous. h’s ex is also mentioned a lot (cause of her trust issues).
- No cheating
- No real separation / tiny third act break up (but still mated so not really).

[Hanna Karlsson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely love this series.

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Both of these main characters desperately needed therapy

[Sandy S · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars--A VOW OF RUIN is the second instalment in Sherilee Gray’s contemporary, adult THE THORNHEART TRIALS erotic, paranormal, romance series focusing on the Thornheart sisters-Willow, Iris, Magnolia and Rose. This is witch Iris Thornheart, and Alpha Wolf shifter Draven Moreau’s story line. A VOW OF RUIN can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary.

SOME BACKGROUND: When a young witch reaches a certain age, Mother Nature would call upon the witch to perform a series of unknown tasks culminating in a magical combat trial. If the with survives, their powers increase exponentially but not everyone is capable of deciphering the clues, and the tasks to be performed.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Draven and Iris) A VOW OF RUIN follows the building but acrimonious relationship between witch Iris Thornheart, and Alpha Wolf shifter Draven Moreau. Over three hundred years earlier Draven Moreau and several members of his wolf pack were trapped by magic to guard an iron dagger, trapped by the witch Draven thought he had loved. Fast forward to present day wherein Draven believes our heroine, Iris Thornheart is the woman who trapped him so very long ago, a woman he vows to destroy but Draven’s inner wolf claims Iris is their mate, and Draven refuses to leave his fate in the hands of someone he cannot trust. Iris Thornheart has been called by Mother Nature but without the help of the other witches, Iris believes she is doomed to fail when several young witches go missing, as the past is determined to arise from the dead. As Draven and Iris battle between head and heart with their unwanted attraction to one another, Iris finds herself caught between the living and the dead, as Draven struggles to save the woman he loves. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Draven and Iris, and the potential fall-out as the past, present and future collide, in a fight for power and control.

Draven Moreau is unable to accept that Iris Thornheart is not the same woman that condemned his pack to die. With issues of trust, Draven struggles to accept Iris as his mate, issues that will eventually push Iris out of his life. Iris Thornheart has no idea why the Alpha wolf despises the very ground upon which she walks but when the story is revealed, Iris must search for the truth, a search that places Iris in the direct line of fire.

The relationship between Iris and Draven is enemies to lovers; a fated mates relationship in which neither one is willing to go down without a fight, and in which Draven is constantly at odds between killing and protecting the woman with whom he is falling in love. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense but I dislike the use of a certain four-letter word.

Once again, there is a large ensemble cast of colorful, energetic and supernatural secondary and supporting characters: Witches Rose, Magnolia, and Willow Thornheart, her mate Hellhound alpha /Devil Dog’s MC President Warrick, and their mother Daisy, Aunt Elswyth, fox shifter and Willow’s familiar Ren; Magnolia’s crow familiar Bram; Iris’s familiar Nia; Rose’s vampire friend Ronan; wolf shifters Asher, Dirk, Ebony. The requisite evil has many faces. Rose and Ronan’s storyline is next.

A VOW OF RUN is a detailed and complex story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, magic and evil, acceptance and love. The premise is twisted, haunting, and enchanting; the romance is spirited and provocative; the characters are compelling, powerful, wounded and strong.

www.thereadingcafe.com

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this down! From cover to cover the story drew me in and I loved it. I love a grumpy alpha and Draven did not disappoint on that. I also loved Iris' courage. These two characters really seemed to balance each other well.

I can't wait for Rose and Ronan's book!

It's now Iris Thornheart's turn to begin her trials. She's still dealing with the trauma of her last relationship. But Draven Moreau has been watching her. She knows he wants her but she also knows he's fighting it.

Draven was trapped years ago by Iris's family. And while he was away his pack suffered many losses. And he wants to make sure he gets his revenge. But as much as he despises her, also feels this pool to her. And he comes to her rescue more than once.

Knowing that her trials are coming up her sister encourages her to work with Draven. But when she attempts to ask he flat out says no because all he wants to do is stay away from her. Until one of her trials leaves her with no one to turn to but Draven. Seeing the state she's in when he finally reaches her leaves him with no doubt that he's keeping her.

Thank you so much to the author and Wildfire for this ARC to review.

[Rmplift, Rachel Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH. MY. WOW.

SPOILER FREE SUMMARY:
This was so much better than the first book! It's not really a continuation, but story of the sister Iris and her recovery from her ex and now trying to be a witch permanently. Witches start disappearing and the family's cemetery becomes poisoned. Meanwhile, the MC is being accused of something that she didn't do or have a recollection of. All of this while her enemy is fighting being fated to her.

REACTION:
The author did a really good job tying everything together. I really liked how the missing persons, past life, and the rest of the plot tied together. Also, I love that the relationship with this books MCs.
What was weird was the authors focus on Rose in this story, but it contributed nothing to the current book. The next book is about Rose and here fate, but she really didn't evolve or difference in health status in this book.

ROMANCE:

Smut/romance scenes: 2.5/5 - Not a lot of it. Not that dirty - OK

The author does a lot of sexual tension building, but keeps it pretty vague and generic. She does focus more energy on the plot which I can appreciate.

TROPES:
Forbidden love
Werewolf vs. witches
touch her and die
grumpy sunshine romance
Arranged/forced marriage
Fated
Forced proximity
Second chance

[Amy Reierson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first book by Sherilee Gray and I really had no idea what to expect. But let me say I was blown away. If you love an involved story that has nothing to do with reality unless of course you want to draw those parallel lines. This is an amazing adventure. There are witches, werewolves, vampires, giant serpents, demons, and more. The main characters Draven and Iris had a great dynamic throughout so I never lost interest in their story. I honestly can't wait to dive into the next book.
I have voluntarily left this review.

[~V~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

**4 1/2 stars** I love the action, angst and steam in these books!

[Christie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great one! I love this series and the Knights of Hell series, of which this is a spin off. Love the family, the variety characters, the established world-building. Ready to pre-order the next!!

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unsure

I’m just so unsure on how to rate this. Draven was so cruel to Iris, and if I’m correct, they have only one very short conversation about how bad he felt for how he treated her and the things he said (a conversation that included other topics as well, his “apology” not even being the main focus). He forces a mating on her, is determined to get her to accept him, the way of wolves, life in his keep yet makes no effort to learn more about her life as a witch - an inherent part of her, her livelihood. He repeatedly admits that he probably will never trust her but expects her to love him and being ok with forcing a mating and uprooting her entire life? He accepts that she will be angry and hate him, but basically says “oh well, she’ll get over it.” And taking advantage of Iris being on truth serum? I had a serious issue with that. He offers his truth in return once he’s satisfied he gets the answers to certain questions, which was, in sum, “I don’t want to want you, but I’m going to force a mating so I don’t go insane because I need to put my pack first.” What every girl wants to hear.

Iris, I really liked but had some issues with as well. I admire her heart for wanting to make amends for what the wolves went through, for being willing to go with the flow when she’s forced into a mating. But considering how awful she felt when Draven repeatedly said so many cruel things to her, for having her life uprooted by a male who refuses to make the effort to get to know her and instead forces the issue mainly because of his sanity and pack, and pretty much knowing Draven would do exactly what he did a few times due to her magic, I felt like she gave in way too easily. I’m glad she stood up to him and forced him to realize how unfair and hypocritical he was being. I just wish Draven had to grovel more and honestly, suffer for how awful he was at times. Iris didn’t deserve any of his shit.

Despite everything I mentioned above, I really did like the story! Just struggled a bit with those issues. I’m definitely continuing with the series and will reread this again in the future.

[ElCee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fine. It was way too long and too much internal dialogue from Iris. Draven was a weenie and he should have groveled more. Iris had a ton of hurdles with her quest and I felt this book should have been a tighter book. Iris is cool. Draven is… a weenie.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

I really, really loved the hero Draven. Maybe because I have I *thing* for Alpha werewolf shifters but man he just hit all the right buttons for me.

Draven was a fascinating hero to delve into. He was originally from the 1600's and was betrayed by the heroine's ancestors Selene and her twin sister Charity. He believed Selene was his mate despite not feeling the mating pull/call and was willing to do anything for her. Obviously this worked in the witches favor and they abused that trust. Draven and his warriors were betrayed and he realized Selene had used a love drought on him to fool him into thinking she was his mate. The sisters needed his strength and protection most of all.

So, all and all it wasn't as "evil" as Draven saw it as. Yes, I agree it was entirely unfair of them but in that moment it wasn't the worst thing to happen IMHO. What came after IMO was what I deemed the ultimate betrayal and act of evil that gave Draven his right to be so angry when the book opens.

I think that his reaction to the heroine Iris was in many ways deserved and expected in his situation. Yes, I as the reader knew otherwise but I couldn't hold it against him for reacting the way he did because he thought the witch who betrayed him was still alive and acting as if she didn't know who he was or what she did. That would piss anyone off. But he did say some pretty terrible things to Iris in the beginning and I would have thought less of him IF he hadn't apologized and felt awful for doing so which he did later in the book when he apologizes to Iris.

So, Draven I felt was a great hero. He had many, many layers and I don't think we even got a taste of them all. He was fascinating and I really enjoyed reading his POV.


As for the heroine Iris, I actually liked her a little more then Willow in the first book. IMHO she had more of a reason to be gun shy and wary of relationships than Willow did. Yes, it was exhausting watching her run and stew in her denial about her being Draven's mate but ultimately I understood it. Did I wish that part of their push/pull relationship would have resolved itself sooner? Sure! But I'm not too mad over how long it took to move past it.

I thought she was an interesting heroine. There was clearly more abuse she experienced from her ex-boyfriend/betrayer Brody than any of us the readers or her family knew. She kept it to herself and ultimately felt shame for not telling anyone or leaving him sooner instead of making excuses for him.

Her and Draven as a couple I thought worked really well together. They had great chemistry and I enjoyed their scenes together where it was more focused on them. I adored how Draven treated her and cared for her. Even when he was wary and unsure of her despite wanting her so desperately he still was there to protect her.

Draven's top warrior Asher was a fun character too. I really liked her and her attitude toward what had happened to them all. She lightened up the book for sure with her personality.

I think the only part I didn't enjoy about the entire book was there was a bit of of a lazy/half done vibe in regards to Draven.

You see, Draven was living in the 1600's when he was trapped by Selene and Charity. Him and his warriors were forced to protect a knife hidden in a boulder and couldn't leave that area. Ever. Life quite literally passed them by and some even died from starvation because they had limited game to hunt in their confined prison. BUT what bothered me most was Draven was already long lived as wolf shifter and an alpha one at that but he was hundreds of years old. And because of his being imprisoned he or his warriors hadn't had a chance to evolve and adapt to the new times. And the author sorta of just dropped that part of his past. There was maybe two references about him learning to adjust to something since being freed ONLY A YEAR AGO. Instead him and his warriors are walking around speaking and dressing modernly. Driving cars and enjoying electricity and cell phones etc. He doesn't question Iris when she says she's on birth control when they spoke of having children. NOTHING.

For all intents and purposes he came across like a modern born guy who grew up in the same era as Iris herself. That was a massive disappointment for me. I didn't need a lot of that thrown in tbh but a few tidbits about his adjustment to the new time period he was living in and the modernism between the women's clothing and birth control etc would have been appreciated. It would have most definitely gave the story a more authentic vibe in regards to such an old alpha wolf being freed and finding his mate hundreds of years after he was trapped.

It just felt less because of this for me. So, that was by far the biggest disappointment for me and bugged me throughout the entire book.

[Eclectic Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a sucker for enemies to lovers tropes and boy, there is no love lost between the protagonists in this one. I loved Willow and Warrick in A Curse in Darkness, but I devoured Draven and Iris's story. The hate coming off these two is palpable and I couldn't wait for the tables to turn.

Witches are disappearing in Roxburgh which seems to be related to Iris's dangerous task decreed by mother earth to save her coven from losing their magical powers. If that isn't enough, Iris needs help from the alpha wolf of the Silver Claw pack who seems to hate her with a fiery passion. After turning her down, she almost gets herself killed by unknown enemies, and the alpha saves her life. It seems he's reluctantly changed his mind to protect her whether she likes it or not.

The chemistry between Iris and Draven is off the charts. His hatred toward Iris is so intense as he holds her responsible for his pack's three-hundred-year-old exile initiated by Iris's ancestor. Draven believes she is the witch who placed the curse on his pack and he plans to seek revenge. The loathing and lust they both feel are so hot as Draven's control is slipping and Iris's sassy mouth just gets her in more trouble. Iris is reckless and Draven is determined to protect her no matter his feelings toward her. Iris has vowed never to have a relationship again because of the guilt and shame she felt from the unforgivable betrayal of an evil man she thought she loved; the man who almost killed her and her family and left the black scar on her face. Draven's uncontrollable pull to Iris is frustrating and insane. He would never trust a witch again, but he realizes he was wrong about who Iris is and cannot stay away from her. As Iris gets closer to completing her brutal and terrifying task, the more she needs Draven's help. When Draven realizes their fate and Iris resists, he makes the decision for both of them by forcing them to confront their feelings. Learning to trust each other causes misunderstandings and deep self-reflection that finally brings them together in an extremely rewarding union.

The lead-up to the completion of Iris's task is explosive and nerve-wracking. Iris's life is on the line as she fights to stop an evil from destroying everything she holds dear and with the author's wonderful imagination and detailed prose, it's a fantastic and suspenseful ending.

The supporting characters include new and old. Draven's pack family is vital to accepting Iris into their fold and Asher is an honest and sassy warrior who steps up to the task. Iris's sisters are also important to the story as they support Iris with her troubling and critical journey. I can't wait to read Rose and Ronan's story. 

Overall, I highly recommend this delightful and magical book and series filled with strong-willed women, possessive men, and perilous adventures. 

Thank you to Ms. Gray for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loyalty. Whether to a family, to a coven, or to a pack; the meaning of loyalty is the central theme of Sherilee Gray's A VOW OF RUIN.

OVERVIEW:
Iris Thornheart is working to recover her broken self-esteem and her ability to trust. She's sworn off romantic relationships for life, after her last boyfriend, Brody tried to not only kill her but also destroy her family. But instead of things getting easier, now Iris' life is more complicated than ever.

First, there's The Mother - the giver of the coven's magical powers - who has called Iris to prove her worth by completing a dangerous trial. The rules of the trial demand that Iris not allow her family to help her but she's going to need all the help she can get to survive. The second complication is Draven Moreau, a wolf shifter who has a 300 year old grudge and a potent hatred of Iris.

But when witches start disappearing and the fate of the coven’s magic rests on Iris' success, she will have to find a way to bring her enemy to her side.

SUMMARY:
A VOW OF RUIN is the second of the The Thornheart Trials but works fine as a standalone novel. The relationship between Iris and Draven is very much a standard Alpha male trope. But Iris is a more fleshed out heroine than many in similar novels. Iris is damaged but she's a fighter and her reactions to many of the situations in which she finds herself make sense. Draven and Iris both evolve as the story progresses which is refreshing. Both are loyal to the people they love and willingly make compromises and sacrifices to protect them.

A VOW OF RUIN is a fresh take on the source and history of supernatural beings. Sherilee Gray does a great job building out not only the primary but also the secondary characters in A VOW OF RUIN. The story sets the reader up to read the other novels in the series without leaving the reader with an incomplete tale. A VOW OF RUIN is an enjoyable story that offers readers a sexy narrative with action, humor, magic, and a little bit of mystery.

OVERALL: Recommend.

[Kay Daniels (Kay Daniels Romance) · Rating 5 out of 5]

An epic romance that brings adventure, mystery, passion, and two unlikely mates together with explosive heat.

Iris Thornheart is a witch and every time Draven Moreau is in her vicinity she can feel the hate rolling off of him. She doesn't know what she personally did to offend him, but his animosity game is strong. Even as she tells him to stay away, his stalker game is also strong. Every time she turns around there he is, but overtime she doesn't seem to mind, especially as he seems to be there at the right time when she needs help.

Draven doesn't enjoy the overwhelming pull to the coven witch. He'd basically do anything not to feel the burning desire for her, but he can't seem to stay away. Iris reminds him of a woman he hates and letting that anger go, an anger that has been boiling for centuries won't disappear overnight, no matter what the attraction to Iris is.

Iris and Draven's chemistry is off the charts and their back and forth is a great build up for this enemies to lovers story. Where a mating instinct is strong in wolves, hence Draven's stalkerish ways, Iris isn't quite on board to be mated to the man who doesn't like her. After her last relationship went south she doesn't want to be mated to anyone period.

These two mates are destined by the fates, but can they work when love isn't involved? I loved this premise where two people didn't just fall for one other over the heat of mating, but fought it every step of the way with the logic of their burned pasts. It built lots of angst and chemistry between them and really built the story.

Aside from just their budding romance, Iris has a mystery to unravel, a task to complete within her coven to keep them safe and add in her mate problems, Iris feels like the world is upon her shoulders.

This is a fantastic epic read and while I haven't read the other books in this series, I'm highly intrigued to jump into them and continue with the Thornheart series as it unfolds.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good story. I hadn’t read the first book in the series, but I didn’t feel lost or like I was missing details. Iris is a witch who must complete some tasks, really an ordeal, from Mother Nature in order for her family to retain their magical gifts. Draven is the alpha of the local pack who starts the book hating her because he thinks she is the incarnation of her ancestor who wronged him. It’s for this reason that he fights the fact that she is his mate. Unlike so many fated mate stories where there is insta-love between the characters, these two fought the attraction because of their individual pasts, and their characters had time to develop the connection. In addition to their developing relationship, there was the problem of the task that Iris had to complete, with a backdrop of the disappearance of some young witches in town. The pace of the book was good, balanced between relationship angst/love scenes and working on the mystery and Iris’s ordeal. There were also interesting secondary characters - Iris’s sisters and family, their friends, Draven’s pack mates. There were a lot of characters to learn and in one instance, a pack member was called one thing, and then her name was different later in the book. Some characters were introduced and seemed like they would be important for this book, but then they weren’t mentioned again; I’m not sure if it was to set them up to appear later in the series or not. The book goes back and forth between Iris’s and Draven’s first person points of view, except for the last chapter. The epilogue closing the story of Iris and Draven is followed by a chapter from the point of view of her next younger sister Rose, who is very ill and fading fast. She will be the focus of the next installment. I was already planning to continue reading the series, and that solidified it. Looking forward to seeing what is next for this family of witches.

[Joyffree · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know I did - I dropped into this series with this book - it was still easy to follow even without the previous book
He ll hounds though?
Yeah I will be going back to book one
This is a full length paranormal romantic suspense with an actual solid storyline that has all kinds of "Didn't see that coming" and " Oh chit duck" moments
It was even wrapped up neatly
The romance is not forgotten - it is also not easily obtained
Both our heroes are a touch broken, betrayed in the past

Iris lacks a braking system and a brain to mouth filter
She has one speed and it seems to be "post haste" she is trying so hard
Despite all her good intentions, she seems to get in more trouble than she can handle alone - or maybe that is just her not believing in herself?
Either way, it keeps one extremely angry man and his stary eyed wolf very, very busy
Draven is a blast - that poor man.
He holds such animosity for her family line but at the same time his wolf craves her like an addict
He knows it is a spell and he refuses to relent to the need to claim her
Now if he can just take his eyes off her

Iris is trying to complete Mother's test
Draven is trying to clean his territory of demons
There are witches disappearing
Draven's wolf is trying to claim Iris
Iris keeps finding herself in dire straits
There is a problem with the land
WHEW and that is just a teeny tiny list of the mayhem that occurs in Vow of Ruin

First-class world-building with such fun and vivid characters.
Full of mystery and suspense - Family - Love - Angst - All kinds of OMG moments - Reveals and some teary-eyed moments
From the first scene to the last I was bewitched
A solid read that is worth the book hangover
Oh I think I know whose story is next

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! What a wild and crazy ride! Book one was fantastic but book 2 was PHENOMENAL!! I am utterly blown away by the outstanding writing, the amazing imagery and the fantastic worldbuilding. The story came to life right in front of my eyes and it felt like I was right there watching from the sidelines. Iris and Draven’s whirlwind love story had me gripping my kindle tightly, gasping at the shocking revelations throughout and holding my breath until the end!

Iris has been left broken and damaged by the trauma that unfolded over a year ago. She has put walls around her heart and is unwilling to tear them down even if that means not accepting her mate. The amount of emotional turmoil that Iris goes through was at times heartbreaking and sad. She is a strong and fierce witch but has so many doubts about herself. And the tasks that she has been given by the Mother may just break her further.

Draven is an utterly delicious angry alpha wolf and is dead set on punishing and ruining Iris. The amount of anger he throws off whenever he’s around Iris was so intense that it just oozed off the pages and had me fuming at him. But the connection and chemistry growing between them was completely undeniable, they just needed to figure things out. Holy hell - the build up, the sexual tension, and the crazy chemistry made for some very toe curling and utterly panty melting moments.

Brilliantly written story crammed with heart-pounding moments that will have you completely captivated and unwilling to put this book down. It’s filled with action, suspense, danger, betrayal, secrets, magic and vengeance, which makes it extremely thrilling and highly entertaining from the wild beginning to the shocking ending.

I loved every second of it and can’t wait for the next book.

[Debby (Alwaysbooking) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked A Curse in Darkness but I loved a Vow in Ruin, Iris’ story just sucked me right in. The Thornhearts are still doing their trials for the mother it’s Iris’ turn for this book, and at the end of Willow’s book we get to see Draven. Iris I feel might be stronger than her sister, or maybe I just connected with her more. Either way I loved the way her story evolved through out the book. I wouldn’t say her trials were harder necessarily, but I loved her connection with the animals and how she was constantly proving herself to everyone. I enjoyed how both her and Draven had trust issues to work out and were trying to work them out together.

I liked Draven’s character a lot more than I thought I would, in the beginning I wasn’t sure if I would like him at all. He was pushy and moody, beyond the normal. However when it clicked with him I really enjoyed the whole pack mentality it was really nice. I liked getting the behind the scenes on the pack, and all the extra characters in this book. The extra club scenes were a little intense and those new people were crazy, the insight into Ronan was nice. I’m excited to see we are getting another book about characters I’m seriously invested in.

The magic system is going great in this series, the plot is really good. I’m loving all of the characters main and side. I’m super missing Ren so if you could bring him back full time that would be great. ;0) I know you probably have a plan for him, but I need him back now. Thank you to Wildfire Marketing, Sherilee Gray for a review in lieu of my honest review.