Title: Silver & BloodAuthor: Jessie Mihalik
Series: Silver & Blood #1
Pages: 448
Publication Date: Jan. 27, 2026
Publisher: AVON BOOKS
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Fantasy / Romantasy
Synopsis:
On a deadly mission to kill the mythical beast that has been haunting her woods, a desperate mage finds her fate intertwined with the handsome and powerful man who saves her.
There’s something in the woods…
Untrained and barely armed, Riela reluctantly agrees to enter the forest and kill the deadly beast that has been attacking her fellow villagers as she’s the only mage available—or so she thought. When one beast turns into two, she fears her death is at hand, but unexpected aid from a scarred, strikingly handsome man with dangerous moonlit magic means a second chance at life—and an opportunity to learn more about her own fickle power.
After being rescued and healed from her fight in the forest, Riela awakens in a magical castle complete with a gorgeous library, a strange wolf, and the surly man who saved her life. Riela soon learns Garrick is not a mortal mage at all—he’s a powerful Etheri sovereign who has been locked out of his kingdom in Lohka for nearly a century, and his powers are weakening.
Trapped in his castle and surrounded by the treacherous woods, the spark of attraction between Riela and Garrick slowly ignites into fiery desire. But the more they discover about Riela’s magic, the more suspicious Garrick grows of her identity. As they unravel the secrets connecting Riela’s past to Lohka, the tenuous threads of trust between them begin to fray because Riela’s life—or her death—might be the key to regaining everything Garrick has lost.
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First, I have to say that this cover is absolutely stunning, and I’ve spent way too much time staring at it. Happily, the story is great too! It’s immersive and intriguing with dynamic characters and a swoon-worthy romance.
Riela and Garrick are both layered and compelling characters, and I like that the chapters alternate between their perspectives. Riela is a little more open, but getting both of their thoughts and feelings added so much depth to their characters.
I also loved Grim, Garrick’s faithful friend. He has a fantastic personality in both forms, and the charm and humor he brought to the story, while still being a fierce and loyal warrior, was the best. Garrick has one other in his close circle of friends whom I also liked, and I’m hoping we’ll get more of her story in the next book. There are some hints of unrequited love going on, and I’m a sucker for a swoon-worthy friends-to-lovers romance.
Speaking of romance, the love story between Riela and Garrick is fabulous. They have an incredible amount of chemistry from the start, and I like how Riela challenges Garrick. She gives as good as she gets, and the way she brings some life back to him and makes him hope again is so lovely. Seeing them go from completely distrusting each other to begrudgingly tolerating each other to liking each other to more was my favorite part of the story, even though I wanted to smack Garrick over the head a few times. lol Luckily, Riela is way more patient, understanding, and forgiving.
This was a great start to the series. It was exciting and immersive with a fabulous romance and some amazing friendships. I can’t wait to read the next book and see what happens to Garrick, Riela, Grim, and the others. Special thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
- forced proximity
- brooding, fae MMC
- slow burn romance
- found family
Jessie Mihalik has a degree in Computer Science and a love of all things geeky. A software engineer by trade, Jessie now writes full time from her home in Texas. When she’s not writing, she can be found playing co-op video games with her husband, trying out new board games, or reading books pulled from her overflowing bookshelves.
I’m glad to read your review for this book because I’ve been wanting to read this book, but I know it’s the first in a new series. In fact, does this author have any standalone books?
I’m not sure. I’ve only read series by her.
Okay, so this one is definitely being added to my TBR! Thanks for putting it on my radar. It sounds like so much fun. 🙂
New follower here!
It was an entertaining read, for sure! I hope you love it if you get a chance to read it!