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A Kingdom of Blood and Fate
When a portal drags her into a realm of kings and curses, resisting desire may be the deadliest curse of all.
I thought being sent to live with my grandparents would be the worst part of my summer.
I was wrong.
The boy I once spent lazy summers with has grown into a strong, mysterious protector... and he's hiding a secret I never could've imagined. But when a tear between worlds drags us into a realm ruled by a bloodthirsty king, my life is rewritten beneath the glare of a scarlet moon.
Now I'm trapped in his court until the next full moon under a cruel bargain: resist the pull of fate between us—or lose my way home forever.
But the longer I stay, the more tangled my heart becomes between two men bound to me by an ancient curse—and something far deeper than desire.
How am I supposed to choose between the boy who's always loved me... or the wicked king determined to claim my heart?
A steamy, slow-burn romantasy perfect for readers who love Beauty and the Beast retellings, why-choose dynamics, star-crossed fated mates, and morally gray kings.
I thought being sent to live with my grandparents would be the worst part of my summer.
I was wrong.
The boy I once spent lazy summers with has grown into a strong, mysterious protector... and he's hiding a secret I never could've imagined. But when a tear between worlds drags us into a realm ruled by a bloodthirsty king, my life is rewritten beneath the glare of a scarlet moon.
Now I'm trapped in his court until the next full moon under a cruel bargain: resist the pull of fate between us—or lose my way home forever.
But the longer I stay, the more tangled my heart becomes between two men bound to me by an ancient curse—and something far deeper than desire.
How am I supposed to choose between the boy who's always loved me... or the wicked king determined to claim my heart?
A steamy, slow-burn romantasy perfect for readers who love Beauty and the Beast retellings, why-choose dynamics, star-crossed fated mates, and morally gray kings.
303 pages, ebook
Published February 24, 2026
5 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thanks to K.R. McRae for providing the eARC. This is my honest opinion.
Magic, Secrets & Forbidden Desire
She thought her summer would be dull, until a tear between worlds pulled her into a kingdom of blood, magic, and forbidden secrets. The boy she once knew has changed: stronger, more mysterious, with a pull that is as irresistible as it is dangerous, and secrets that could change everything.
Under a red moon, she discovers that choices are never small. Trust, desire, and duty intertwine into a web from which escape seems nearly impossible. The kingdom itself feels alive: breathtakingly beautiful, yet with a heart that can be cold and merciless.
K.R. McRae writes with a vivid, flowing style that makes both the tension and the characters’ emotions almost tangible. Her sentences shift gracefully between sharp and poetic, capturing the slow burn of the romance and the weight of each decision.
The suspense builds slowly, pulsing and inevitable. Some twists surprised, others were predictable, but the magic of the story and the depth of the characters keep you fully engaged.
For fans of romantasy with intrigue, fate, and a touch of danger, 'A Kingdom of Blood and Fate' is a story that lingers long after the last page is turned.
dark romance | enemies to lovers | political intrigue | forbidden love | deadly secrets | betrayal | slow burn romance | morally grey characters | high stakes fantasy | epic worldbuilding
Magic, Secrets & Forbidden Desire
She thought her summer would be dull, until a tear between worlds pulled her into a kingdom of blood, magic, and forbidden secrets. The boy she once knew has changed: stronger, more mysterious, with a pull that is as irresistible as it is dangerous, and secrets that could change everything.
Under a red moon, she discovers that choices are never small. Trust, desire, and duty intertwine into a web from which escape seems nearly impossible. The kingdom itself feels alive: breathtakingly beautiful, yet with a heart that can be cold and merciless.
K.R. McRae writes with a vivid, flowing style that makes both the tension and the characters’ emotions almost tangible. Her sentences shift gracefully between sharp and poetic, capturing the slow burn of the romance and the weight of each decision.
The suspense builds slowly, pulsing and inevitable. Some twists surprised, others were predictable, but the magic of the story and the depth of the characters keep you fully engaged.
For fans of romantasy with intrigue, fate, and a touch of danger, 'A Kingdom of Blood and Fate' is a story that lingers long after the last page is turned.
dark romance | enemies to lovers | political intrigue | forbidden love | deadly secrets | betrayal | slow burn romance | morally grey characters | high stakes fantasy | epic worldbuilding
February 2, 2026
I really enjoyed this one!! It was fantastic!! I finished in 1 day could not put it down! I loved the different take on the supernatural!! I won’t give away spoilers but the beauty and the beast vibes mixed with charmed were AMAZING!! I loved everything about it! Be prepared for a dark and delicious journey! You will feel all the longing, angst, lust, love & at times heartbreak but it is all worth it in the end! The plot was AMAZING the spice was PERFECTION & the torn between 2 hearts angle HAD ME BEGGING FOR MORE!! Can’t wait for book 2!!
February 27, 2026
Briar is sent to her grandparents after she tells her parents she needs to drop out of college. Her parents think she’s lazy but she knows something is wrong. Of course Caz shows up just after she arrives. She hasn’t seen him since she was a child but she remembers all the feelings she had for him. But then they get pulled into crimson vale and meet Caspian. Caz evil side. Caspian plans on winning Briars heart since she’s his fated mate. This book has the why choose, the dark romance that I love and of course some wonderful enemies to lovers. I can’t wait to read the next book now!!
February 25, 2026
A Kingdom of Blood and Fate is the first book in McRae's The Moons of Fate duology. This spicy, fated mates, portal romantasy features Briar Casey, Caspian "Caz" Nezara, and King Caspian of Household Nezara, King of Alphas and Ruler of the Crimson Vale.
This is a different kind of why choose romance. You may have noticed that two of the three main characters appear to have the same name. That is because they are two halves of the same soul. Caspian comes from a long line of beings who were cursed many years prior. Their evil half was torn away from their good half and cast into another realm. Caz is the light half who lives on the Casey ranch with his grandmother and siblings whereas King Caspian is the dark half who reigns over the Crimson Vale.
When Briar is sent to live with her grandparents in Silver Ridge, Utah, she reconnects with her childhood friend Caz who is now all grown up. It doesn't take long for some weird things to start taking place on the ranch. When Briar sets off to investigate some unexplained lights, she fears for her life when attacked by blood wraiths. Fortunately her old friend and new love interest, Caz, comes to the rescue. When it looks like he is being dragged into the portal, Briar leaps into action and the two end up being transported to the Crimson Vale.
As soon as King Caspian lays eyes on them, he recognizes Caz as his doppelganger and has him sent away to the dungeons. He also recognizes Briar as his fated mate and is determined to keep her by his side. As they have no way to return until the portal opens at the next full moon, King Caspian makes Briar a deal. She is free to go home in a month unless she falls in love with him, in which case she will remain in Crimson Vale as his queen. Briar is certain of herself and where she belongs and quickly agrees but she is ill prepared for King Caspian to pull out all the stops to win her heart.
This was a fun read. I enjoyed McRae's take on the supernatural. While I anticipated some of the story, there were other pieces sprinkled in which kept me engaged. I liked the dynamic between the characters. While some aspects of the story felt forced, it did not diminish my enjoyment of the story.
I am quite curious what McRae has in store for the second book in this duology as it did not appear to end on a cliffhanger. I guess I'll just have to wait to find out.
This is a different kind of why choose romance. You may have noticed that two of the three main characters appear to have the same name. That is because they are two halves of the same soul. Caspian comes from a long line of beings who were cursed many years prior. Their evil half was torn away from their good half and cast into another realm. Caz is the light half who lives on the Casey ranch with his grandmother and siblings whereas King Caspian is the dark half who reigns over the Crimson Vale.
When Briar is sent to live with her grandparents in Silver Ridge, Utah, she reconnects with her childhood friend Caz who is now all grown up. It doesn't take long for some weird things to start taking place on the ranch. When Briar sets off to investigate some unexplained lights, she fears for her life when attacked by blood wraiths. Fortunately her old friend and new love interest, Caz, comes to the rescue. When it looks like he is being dragged into the portal, Briar leaps into action and the two end up being transported to the Crimson Vale.
As soon as King Caspian lays eyes on them, he recognizes Caz as his doppelganger and has him sent away to the dungeons. He also recognizes Briar as his fated mate and is determined to keep her by his side. As they have no way to return until the portal opens at the next full moon, King Caspian makes Briar a deal. She is free to go home in a month unless she falls in love with him, in which case she will remain in Crimson Vale as his queen. Briar is certain of herself and where she belongs and quickly agrees but she is ill prepared for King Caspian to pull out all the stops to win her heart.
This was a fun read. I enjoyed McRae's take on the supernatural. While I anticipated some of the story, there were other pieces sprinkled in which kept me engaged. I liked the dynamic between the characters. While some aspects of the story felt forced, it did not diminish my enjoyment of the story.
I am quite curious what McRae has in store for the second book in this duology as it did not appear to end on a cliffhanger. I guess I'll just have to wait to find out.
Review of advance copy received from Author
First, I want to thank K.R. McRae and flying pig pr for the gifted eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book completely took me by surprise!
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My Thoughts:
This is my first read by K.R. McRae and let me tell you that I absolutely fell in love with the world that this author has created. If you like fantasy books about werewolves, vampires, portals to different worlds, curses and more, than you will definitely love this book!
This world and the magic that was woven all throughout it took me by surprise. It was a new refreshing take on the world of werewolves and vampires and fated mates and I didn’t want to ever leave this world. I absolutely loved all the main characters and the side characters except for certain ones (you will just have to meet them for yourself!). The idea of having a curse on you and having a light and dark side of you not only worked well with fantasy but also held such depth for the human world. I believe, as humans, there are always two sides of us. A dark and a light. Not saying that having a dark side makes us evil, but more so of being misunderstood. I feel like it’s only natural to show different sides of ourselves to the people that surround us on a daily basis and what I learned from Caz and Caspian is that both sides of who you are need to be understood and loved in order to be whole.
Besides the message that I got from the story, I personally loved the regency vibes that it gave as well. Just seeing that entire regency lifestyle play out and the battle of wanting to be in the modern world but also stay in the regency world made for a great character internal battle. I enjoyed all the elements that tied into this story and being able to explore Caspian and his darker side. My heart was definitely being pulled in two different directions when it came down towards the end of the book but I absolutely loved how it played out! However, I feel very nervous yet also excited for the second part of this duology to come out! I cannot wait to see how this story concludes in the second part.
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My Thoughts:
This is my first read by K.R. McRae and let me tell you that I absolutely fell in love with the world that this author has created. If you like fantasy books about werewolves, vampires, portals to different worlds, curses and more, than you will definitely love this book!
This world and the magic that was woven all throughout it took me by surprise. It was a new refreshing take on the world of werewolves and vampires and fated mates and I didn’t want to ever leave this world. I absolutely loved all the main characters and the side characters except for certain ones (you will just have to meet them for yourself!). The idea of having a curse on you and having a light and dark side of you not only worked well with fantasy but also held such depth for the human world. I believe, as humans, there are always two sides of us. A dark and a light. Not saying that having a dark side makes us evil, but more so of being misunderstood. I feel like it’s only natural to show different sides of ourselves to the people that surround us on a daily basis and what I learned from Caz and Caspian is that both sides of who you are need to be understood and loved in order to be whole.
Besides the message that I got from the story, I personally loved the regency vibes that it gave as well. Just seeing that entire regency lifestyle play out and the battle of wanting to be in the modern world but also stay in the regency world made for a great character internal battle. I enjoyed all the elements that tied into this story and being able to explore Caspian and his darker side. My heart was definitely being pulled in two different directions when it came down towards the end of the book but I absolutely loved how it played out! However, I feel very nervous yet also excited for the second part of this duology to come out! I cannot wait to see how this story concludes in the second part.
March 1, 2026
This was an interesting story. I was definitely hooked from the beginning. This focuses on Caz, Caspian and Bri. I definitely had a different idea of how things were going to go and they went a complete opposite way. Not a bad way just a different way. I enjoyed getting to know Bri and Caspian in this book. Even though it ends up being a weird why choose situation (you'll have to read it to find out) we really spend most of the time with Caspian and Bri. We get some time with Caz but since Bri has already had so much life experience with him prior to us meeting him, most of the time is spent getting to know Caspian. I definitely really liked Caspian. Though I almost wanted to see more of the ruthlessness in him. What makes his siblings respect him other than the fact that he's the oldest? Of course we do get to see a ruthless side of him when it came to dealing with anything with Bri. I liked the world that was created in this story with the two halves of one soul and how the interact with each other through the curse. After getting to the end of this book and seeing that there is going to be a second one, I'm interested to see how this is going to play out. Seeing as how certain things have no transpired.
The spice in this book was really good as well. It was plentiful without feeling like too much in my opinion. I would give the spice a 5 out of 5! Overall I enjoyed this read and I would probably definitely recommend it to someone who is looking for a fun read with an interesting story. There is a good bit of smut in this one yet I still liked how other things progressed. It wasn't too heavy on the other plot points so that you didn't feel overwhelmed and it didn't make the smexy scenes feel out of place.
The spice in this book was really good as well. It was plentiful without feeling like too much in my opinion. I would give the spice a 5 out of 5! Overall I enjoyed this read and I would probably definitely recommend it to someone who is looking for a fun read with an interesting story. There is a good bit of smut in this one yet I still liked how other things progressed. It wasn't too heavy on the other plot points so that you didn't feel overwhelmed and it didn't make the smexy scenes feel out of place.
March 7, 2026
Now let me just tell you that this book was not what I expected based on the synopsis I read when applying for the ARC. The insanely creative way the author wove the why choose trope into the story was mind-blowing. I mean, quite literally, this is what all of us Twilight girls yearned for. The ending was so unexpected, too, and I'm still a little on edge about whether I liked it better than what I had anticipated would happen or not.
The characters in this story are what really stood out to me. Overlooking a couple of moments, the three main characters of this book were probably the most mature behaving people out of all romantasy books I've ever read. They've all been pretty impulsive and irrational at some point, but otherwise, their actions were pretty realistic and in-character.
The world-building and magic systems fade a little into the background, but that's a price I'm willing to pay for this mind-blowing romance that this book encompasses. I really enjoyed the distinction between Caz and Caspian, Caz's innocence and wolfish senses, and Caspian's bloodlust and teasing.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, even if it at first seemed unassuming to me from the synopsis. I'd like to thank Flying Pig PR and the author for the eARC and can't wait for book two!
The characters in this story are what really stood out to me. Overlooking a couple of moments, the three main characters of this book were probably the most mature behaving people out of all romantasy books I've ever read. They've all been pretty impulsive and irrational at some point, but otherwise, their actions were pretty realistic and in-character.
The world-building and magic systems fade a little into the background, but that's a price I'm willing to pay for this mind-blowing romance that this book encompasses. I really enjoyed the distinction between Caz and Caspian, Caz's innocence and wolfish senses, and Caspian's bloodlust and teasing.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, even if it at first seemed unassuming to me from the synopsis. I'd like to thank Flying Pig PR and the author for the eARC and can't wait for book two!
March 10, 2026
ARC review
I have mixed feelings about this book. Overall I did enjoy the story. The main plot was quite good and the idea of the story had much potential.
However they were many things I didn't like and things that irritated me..
1. I read to escape the reality. And if I pick a fantasy story I don't expect to be hit in a face with real world problems. FMC suffers from ailments after being sick because she didn't get the vaccine in time. Pandemic is mentioned a few times. So she had covid and she has permanent symptoms because of it. Not something I wish to read about in a fantasy story.
2. IKEA and Fifty shades of grey is mentioned. Again it annoys me to have real life things in fantasy story. Mixing real places, real movies, covid, vampires and werewolfs in the same story is big ick for me.
3. In chapter 11 there is an intimate scene wich is straight from the movie "365 days". Love that movie and did not appreciate this copying.
4. The phrase "for dear life" starts to annoy you after reading it like hundred times in the same story..
I will be reading the next book because I did like the main story regardless.
I have mixed feelings about this book. Overall I did enjoy the story. The main plot was quite good and the idea of the story had much potential.
However they were many things I didn't like and things that irritated me..
1. I read to escape the reality. And if I pick a fantasy story I don't expect to be hit in a face with real world problems. FMC suffers from ailments after being sick because she didn't get the vaccine in time. Pandemic is mentioned a few times. So she had covid and she has permanent symptoms because of it. Not something I wish to read about in a fantasy story.
2. IKEA and Fifty shades of grey is mentioned. Again it annoys me to have real life things in fantasy story. Mixing real places, real movies, covid, vampires and werewolfs in the same story is big ick for me.
3. In chapter 11 there is an intimate scene wich is straight from the movie "365 days". Love that movie and did not appreciate this copying.
4. The phrase "for dear life" starts to annoy you after reading it like hundred times in the same story..
I will be reading the next book because I did like the main story regardless.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2026
A Kingdom of Blood and Fate by K.R. McRae is a dark romance fantasy book involving Briar who is sent to her grandparents after she wants to drop out of college. Caz reappears in her life after they haven't seen each other since they were children. Be warned y'all this is a why choose romance so if you do not like that kind of genre where there are multiple partners this many not be the book for you. Two of the three main characters have the same name, because they are two halves of the same soul. Caz is transported through the Crimson Vale. They meet King Caspian who sees Briar as his fated mate and wants to keep her with him. And Briar and Caz have to wait to return through the portal for one whole month. King Caspian makes Briar a deal to try to get her to become his queen and to win her heart. I really enjoyed this book overall and I do not usually like why choose romances but this one really worked for me as they were almost the same person and not really different people with the same woman. I think that was good for me as a non why choose reader.
March 6, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
I just ADORE this book. The concept of having 2 boyfriends but ITS THE SAME PERSON?! It’s like split personality IRL. This is definitely for the girls who wished Bella would have dated Edward and Jacob. It’s truly the best of both worlds. And they were both OBSESSED with her. HELLO! That is what the girls want! If you aren’t going to kill someone for harming me like what’s the point you know? PLUS the day after she sleeps with Caspian she wakes up giggling and kicking her feet? Yeah queen sign me UP!
I’m a big paranormal/fantasy lover so this book is up my alley. There is a good plot, with a cool backstory with world building that is small to digest. It also has a bit of like folklore tale with legends and etc. I couldn’t wait to get through my day so I could sit down and read. That to me is THE BEST sign of a good book I’d recommend!
🌶️🌶️🌶️
I just ADORE this book. The concept of having 2 boyfriends but ITS THE SAME PERSON?! It’s like split personality IRL. This is definitely for the girls who wished Bella would have dated Edward and Jacob. It’s truly the best of both worlds. And they were both OBSESSED with her. HELLO! That is what the girls want! If you aren’t going to kill someone for harming me like what’s the point you know? PLUS the day after she sleeps with Caspian she wakes up giggling and kicking her feet? Yeah queen sign me UP!
I’m a big paranormal/fantasy lover so this book is up my alley. There is a good plot, with a cool backstory with world building that is small to digest. It also has a bit of like folklore tale with legends and etc. I couldn’t wait to get through my day so I could sit down and read. That to me is THE BEST sign of a good book I’d recommend!
March 10, 2026
The Kingdom of Blood & Fate delivers a familiar romantasy setup with kingdom intrigue and fated mates tension, landing at 3 stars for me.
The Premise: A human woman, caught between rival kingdoms and a dangerous bond with a brooding MMC claiming her as his mate. As war looms and secrets unravel, she navigates betrayal, power struggles, and her awakening in a world ruled by magic and eternal rivalries.
The magic shows promise, and the romantic tension delivers on trope appeal with steamy forbidden moments. However, predictable plot beats, uneven pacing through slower middle sections, and underdeveloped side characters kept me from deeper immersion. Some emotional stakes felt more convenient than earned.
3 stars— romantasy entertainment with solid worldbuilding and chemistry, but needed more to stand out. Thank you for the ARC!
The Premise: A human woman, caught between rival kingdoms and a dangerous bond with a brooding MMC claiming her as his mate. As war looms and secrets unravel, she navigates betrayal, power struggles, and her awakening in a world ruled by magic and eternal rivalries.
The magic shows promise, and the romantic tension delivers on trope appeal with steamy forbidden moments. However, predictable plot beats, uneven pacing through slower middle sections, and underdeveloped side characters kept me from deeper immersion. Some emotional stakes felt more convenient than earned.
3 stars— romantasy entertainment with solid worldbuilding and chemistry, but needed more to stand out. Thank you for the ARC!
March 10, 2026
This is book one of its series and im so excited I got to read a arc copy of this one and I absolutely cannot wait for the next one in this series.
Briar is a normal girl who struggles with health issues that is something most women can relate too. She is lacking in confidence and doubts herself which again is something I can relate to.
The concept of having a dark and light of your boyfriend is so unique to me because if you think about it most people really do have that and this fits perfectly.
It has just the right amount of spice without the whole book being about that which is nice because as much as I love my spicy books I also love a story to go along with it.
If your looking for a spicy paranormal romance book this is the one for you!
Briar is a normal girl who struggles with health issues that is something most women can relate too. She is lacking in confidence and doubts herself which again is something I can relate to.
The concept of having a dark and light of your boyfriend is so unique to me because if you think about it most people really do have that and this fits perfectly.
It has just the right amount of spice without the whole book being about that which is nice because as much as I love my spicy books I also love a story to go along with it.
If your looking for a spicy paranormal romance book this is the one for you!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I had so much fun reading this one!!! It literally had everything you could possibly think of all in one book. Cowboys? Yep. Portal to another world? Of course! Hot MFM scenes with your mates king doppelganger? You bet your ass that was in there!
I couldn't put it down, i just had to keep reading to find out what happened next. May have stayed up until 4am one night to finish it 🌙
Not only was this book fun to read, I really connected with the FMC Bri who suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome. Stories like this definitely helps bring more awareness to those suffering with chronic illness, so i applaud the author for including it in the story.
Read if you like:
✨️Spicy romantasy
✨️Why choose romance
✨️Touch her and die
✨️Possesive MMC
✨️Golden retriever MMC
If you want a fun, fast paced spicy read without too much world building this one is for you
Review of advance copy received from Author
WOW!!!! I received this book early and it hooked me from the beginning!!! I DEVOURED it and it brought on so many feelings. I absolutely loved the world building and the characters. Bri, FMC, is so much stronger than she gives herself credit for. Caz and Caspian 🥵🌶️ yes please!!! I love the fated mates trope and the way they fall for her. They go through some tough times together, but it only makes them stronger. I was so nervous during part of the story..and I was bawling near the end..only to LOVE the ending!!! The spicy scenes are SPICING and ohhhh are they worth it!!!! I’m so excited for book 2!!!!! Definitely recommend for spicy supernatural loving baddies!
February 24, 2026
This book is just too good! No words are good enough to express how much I love how Kati portrayed her characters and wrote this book!!!! I will not give any spoilers, but this book is a must read for anyone and everyone. If you are hesitant on purchasing this book: there is no need to be. Every second spent reading The Kingdom of Blood & Fate is worth it. I must say this is 1 of my favorite books I’ve read in the past 14 months. AND I READ A LOT. I have read more than 200 books so far ion the past 14 months. Kati will not disappoint you. I look forward to reading more of her books and hope the next book in this series is released sooner than later!!!!!!!!!
February 26, 2026
A CURSED LOVE
If you love paranormal romantasy, ancient curses, fated mates and detailed world building, then A Kingdom of Blood and Fate by K.R. McRae should be on your TBR. Beautifully written with such descriptive detail to pull you through the portal with Briar and Caz, you feel the emotions, the betrayal and intrigue within the Royal Court. The characters themselves have a depth and realty to their behaviours and mannerisms. There is a vulnerability you can feel and the light and dark personalities in a tantalising concept I was keen to explore. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, with spice, drama and romance, I'm hoping for more stories in this realm.
If you love paranormal romantasy, ancient curses, fated mates and detailed world building, then A Kingdom of Blood and Fate by K.R. McRae should be on your TBR. Beautifully written with such descriptive detail to pull you through the portal with Briar and Caz, you feel the emotions, the betrayal and intrigue within the Royal Court. The characters themselves have a depth and realty to their behaviours and mannerisms. There is a vulnerability you can feel and the light and dark personalities in a tantalising concept I was keen to explore. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, with spice, drama and romance, I'm hoping for more stories in this realm.
February 25, 2026
I had the pleasure of reading this book as an ARC, and while why choose isn't my typical trope of choice, I really enjoyed this one! K.R.'s spin on vampire/werewolf lore and the dynamic it creates is easily one of the more fascinating stories I've read, and I really like the mashup of more traditional and contemporary fantasy settings.
One personal note- there are references to a pandemic & chronic illness resulting from that, so for our healthcare friends who might have trauma related to that, just be aware going in.
Overall- I can't wait for the completion of her duology!
One personal note- there are references to a pandemic & chronic illness resulting from that, so for our healthcare friends who might have trauma related to that, just be aware going in.
Overall- I can't wait for the completion of her duology!
February 25, 2026
Omg this book was so original, so intriguing. I could not put this down once I started. Vampires and werewolves, present day and being pulled into a fantasy world. Fated mates…what more could you ask for? This was truly amazing. Bri was such a wonderful character. And Caz and Caspian 🥵🔥 so hot. The way they both wanted her. And her conundrum about staying forever or going back home…the world building was exquisite. The description was so vivid, it felt like a movie in my mind. This is definitely on my top five faves this year.
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
I love how this feels so relevant until the fantasy part comes out. Just a small town rancher family until they turn into werewolves.
The way the author describes the places in this book make me able to really visualize it in my head. I feel like I am Briar and am experiencing all of this with her.
I loved the differences between Caz and Caspian with the light and dark themes and the ending just tied it all together in the best way!
The way the author describes the places in this book make me able to really visualize it in my head. I feel like I am Briar and am experiencing all of this with her.
I loved the differences between Caz and Caspian with the light and dark themes and the ending just tied it all together in the best way!
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
This was like nothing I have ever read before (for reference I average about 250 novels a year). The concept was original and refreshing.
Briar is a young woman who drops out of college due to having a chronic illness that drains her to the point she can barely function through daily life. After several docs dismiss her concerns and decide the issue is in her head her parents send her to her paternal grandparents farm in the middle of nowhere Utah, for the summer as punishment for her being a disappointment. As someone with a chronic illness I loved having a FMC I can relate to; representation matters. On her grandparents farm she runs into Ranch Hand Caz (The Light One) and remembers the the feelings she had for him during her summers in childhood spent at the ranch. Strange things happen on the ranch and her grandparents believe a neighboring rancher is sabotaging them but Caz believes it's something connected to a curse placed on the Native American they live on.
Crazy things happen that lead to Caz and Briar falling in a portal and ending up in the Supernatural Realm called the Crimson Vale. There they encounter Caz's twin dark soul, Caspian. Caspian (the Dark One) is the Alpha King of the Crimson Vale. He's cold and morally bankrupt, the true evil to Caz's light.
What ensues is great storytelling, several wonderful twists and turns and an end I didn't see coming. Can't wait for Book #2.
Briar is a young woman who drops out of college due to having a chronic illness that drains her to the point she can barely function through daily life. After several docs dismiss her concerns and decide the issue is in her head her parents send her to her paternal grandparents farm in the middle of nowhere Utah, for the summer as punishment for her being a disappointment. As someone with a chronic illness I loved having a FMC I can relate to; representation matters. On her grandparents farm she runs into Ranch Hand Caz (The Light One) and remembers the the feelings she had for him during her summers in childhood spent at the ranch. Strange things happen on the ranch and her grandparents believe a neighboring rancher is sabotaging them but Caz believes it's something connected to a curse placed on the Native American they live on.
Crazy things happen that lead to Caz and Briar falling in a portal and ending up in the Supernatural Realm called the Crimson Vale. There they encounter Caz's twin dark soul, Caspian. Caspian (the Dark One) is the Alpha King of the Crimson Vale. He's cold and morally bankrupt, the true evil to Caz's light.
What ensues is great storytelling, several wonderful twists and turns and an end I didn't see coming. Can't wait for Book #2.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was very interesting, mix of vampires and werewolves, and exploring the “good” and “bad” of an individual. I also appreciated to the chronic illness background of the main character. I’m excited to see how things end in book 2. Spicy, but one of the sex scenes was too much for me.
March 7, 2026
This is a great start to the duet.
I love the world created, the banter and the split personality (genius). I love how the bad guy is explored, because who doesn’t love a bad boy!
This read is intriguing, fun, spicy and so well-written. Bring on book two!
I love the world created, the banter and the split personality (genius). I love how the bad guy is explored, because who doesn’t love a bad boy!
This read is intriguing, fun, spicy and so well-written. Bring on book two!
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