This is the second book in the Royal Spares, a fantasy romance series set in the author’s Abandoned Realms world. Tropes and themes include marriage of convenience, court intrigue, why choose, pregnancy and political unrest. In addition to some spicy scenes, there are some dark themes so please check the content warnings. 

The Lovely: I still love the FMC, Aurelia, and how she’s secretly a b@da$$. She’s so good at playing her role, all the while scheming to reach her end goals. I grew to like the MMCs more in this book, especially once they started taking the initiative to help her (instead of being told what to do). 

The Mundane: The ending felt like it came out of left field for me. Not like a big “ah ha” reveal kind of way, but more of a “huh” moment. I’m interested to see how this will be addressed in book three and the fall out from the reveal. 

Rating: 4/5 Stars 3/5 Flames 

Recommendation: I received an early copy and my thoughts are my own. If you like why choose fantasy romance with a strong heroine in a well thought out world, I think you would like this book. Book three, of the expected four book series, is due to be released in March 2025. This book/series takes place in the author’s Abandoned Realms world, which also houses her Rites of Possession series and a recently released novella, Heart of Defiance.