This was so so good! My synopsis without giving too much away is that Draven takes Morgan to his home in Serbia where she learns he is actually fae. Draven has to be apart of a trail to eventually win his rightful place as Emperor and try to change his empire though he does not truly want it. The romance that blooms between Draven and Morgan is amazing. I feel like it happens at just the right pace and their banter is so cute. I love the new family Morgan finds among his group even though she doesn’t see it yet. The only thing that annoys me is Morgan’s reactions to things. She quick to blame everyone and anyone except herself or those truly at blame but she’s grown so much in the book and I know there will only be more growth. The spice level definitely leveled up.
I give this a book a 5/5 ⭐️ and a 3.5/5 for spice

New Dark Adventure

Book two blew me away! Getting to know Draven’s people and way of life, was a great way to learn about him and the environment he grew up in.

His people are savage and they are unforgiving, and I was all here for it.

It was a great turn away from the retelling and into the fae world.

You also learn a lot more about Morgan and I cannot wait for book three to learn more about her! Ugh, book three cannot come quick enough.

The smut was amazing and it was slow burn and it was just perfect. I melted.

Thank you to Briar Boleyn and NetGalley again for the opportunity to read this book.

“In Siabra culture, those of royal blood may designate a person who is not their official spouse as their... Well, as their...”
The blood drained from my face. “Your mistress?”


Waking up in a foreign land is bad enough; finding out that you are surrounded by people with unimagined powers who live in a volcano? I can almost imagine why Morgan is argumentative and surly. Draven is not the unassuming king’s guard, and he told everyone she is his mistress. Be his escort? She would rather join the temple.

For a story that began with elements of King Arthur’s myth, I am pleased that the story has diverged from there.
However, in book 2 Morgan has turned into a rebellious teen. While Draven stoically submits to her angry and confused ranting, I am flummoxed. She seemed so relatable in the first novel, yet she makes assumptions here that seem ghastly illogical!

Since she refuses to cooperate, Draven assigns two guards, Odessa and Crescent, and tells her not to exit the room. Of course she ignores that as soon as a young human boy finds her through the secret servant passages that we all love to imagine. Beks is great: I would love to have a know-it-all teen like him around.

Later Draven finds her outside the room, and upon her request, allows her to train with "the greatest fighter"...[spoiler alert] who turns out to be Odessa.

Honestly, for a book boyfriend, Draven is heroic and caring. “ I have no lust for endless slaughter between mortals or fae versus fae as my father and brother did. I wish for change. I wish for peace. Not only here in Myntra, but in Eskira," he wants to end discrimination and racism. And he loves an independent, stabby woman. What is not to love?

Does Morgan grow as a character? Yes, but she remains the dominant in the bedroom and threatens stabbing with a letter opener:
““Don’t make me stab you in your sleep tonight.”

A perennial favorite: there are a set of trials that Draven must pass to become the Emperor of his realm, upon which he promises to use his realm’s resources to bring Morgan to power. The second trial involves riddles which I think are too open-ended to have only one true answer, but I appreciate the attempt. The more Draven succeeds the more difficult it will be for their romance.

Trigger Warnings:
[] Morgan cusses too much, even when she doesn’t need to.
[] She is not likeable
[] Power sharing
[] Crown Trials
[] Betrayals and plot twists
[] Forced bond/marriage

I hope book 3 features a new character. This is not a standalone and ends in a spot where Arthur has conquered and created a harem from the captives...