Rating: 4 out of 5.

I listened to the audio of this book and LOVED it! The narrators did a fantastic job portraying the characters. They built tension and conveyed the emotions of the characters to bring the story to life.

This book  is the first in a dark, spicy slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romantasy series, perfect for fans of Fourth Wing, The Serpent and the Wings of the Night, and Throne of Glass.

Tropes you’ll love:

Enemies to Lovers

Deadly Tournament

Slow-Burn Romance

Underdog Heroine

Brooding Royal MMC

Forced Proximity

Gods & Goddesses

Rose’s family lost everything when Prince Kyor lied about them. Stripped of their magic and thrown out of Court, the family was forced to scrabble out a life in the slums. Rose is taking care of her younger sister and is determined to restore her to Court. She decides to join the Tournament of the Gifting, a brutal competition held once a century, where the victor earns a blessing from the Goddess of Life. The catch? Every other contender wields the very power she was robbed of, including Prince Kyor. He’s commander of the armies. Rider of a bonded dire wolf. Wielder of lightning.

The tournament is merciless and Rose is immediately targeted by strong, ruthless rivals. Short on allies, she finds some in an unlikely place. She just needs to figure out how to deal with Prince Kyor, who definitely remembers who she is and their connection.

The enemies to loves aspect of this book between Rose and Kyor really works. The author does a great job making the progression of their relationship more realistic. They didn’t go from hate to insta-love. Their feelings and trust grew gradually, and the roadblocks they encountered occurred naturally as the story evolved.

The story is fast paced, which made me very happy. So many first books drag along and have portions that seem like filler and don’t really move the plot along. Not the case here. I love found families in books and the one built here is great. It not only provides support to the MC, but provides some necessary levity to an otherwise heavy story.

The book ends on a huge cliffhanger and I can’t wait to see what happens next!!

I received a complimentary e-copy and audio copy of this book from The Nerd Fam. All opinions are my own.