Title: Bride of the Shadow KingAuthor: Sylvia Mercedes
Series: Bride of the Shadow King #1
Pages: 498
Publisher: Ace
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Fantasy / Romantasy
Synopsis:
A shunned princess. A reluctant king.
A marriage that could save both their kingdoms . . . but destroy their hearts.
Though she is the oldest daughter, Princess Faraine lives in the background, shunned from court and kept out of sight. Her chronic illness makes her a liability to the crown, and she has learned to give place to her beautiful, favored younger sister in all things.
When the handsome and enigmatic Shadow King comes seeking a bride, Faraine is not surprised that her sister is his choice.
Though not eager to take a human bride, King Vor is willing to do what is necessary for the sake of his people. When he meets the lively Princess Ilsevel, he quickly agrees to a marriage arrangement.
So why can’t he get the haunting eyes of her older sister out of his head?
When disaster strikes and the marriage alliance is compromised, Faraine suddenly finds herself forced to take her sister’s place . . . regardless of her new husband’s desires. Can she find a place at Vor’s side as his queen? Or is his heart forever closed to the woman who deceived him so cruelly?
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I’m so happy to be on the tour today for Bride of the Shadow King by Sylvia Mercedes. It’s an immersive adult romantasy about a Shadow King (Love, love, love him!) trying to save his people and a princess forced to deceive and marry him to forge a political alliance. The story hooked me from the beginning, and the end left me salivating for the next book!
First, I have to say, I adore Vor. I fall in love with a lot of fictional characters, and Vor is SO easy to fall for. He’s so honorable and determined to do right by his people, and he selflessly puts himself on the line to protect others. I loved Faraine, too, and I really felt for her. Unloved by her father and ignored by her mother, Faraine lives a solitary life in a convent until forced to leave by her family. Throughout the story, however, she gets put in impossible situation after impossible situation, and she’s forced to be part of a deception that changes the trajectory of her quiet life forever. Faraine also struggles to control her power, which she’s tried to hide her entire life. Her character has a lot of depth, and I love that her confidence grows as she gains knowledge and control.
The story is told from both Faraine and Vor’s perspectives, which is always a favorite of mine. The dual POV is immersive and enlightening and gives the reader a well-rounded look into both of their journeys. it also sheds light on how each feels about their situations and relationships, and their feelings about each other. Vor and Faraine have an instant connection, even though he is meant for someone else, and I loved their slow-building and burning romance. There’s so much angst and pining, and the build-up is pretty swoon-tastic! Plus, the banter – sooo good!
The secondary characters are fabulous too – Vor’s brother and his captain are compelling, and I’m curious to find out more about Faraine’s sisters because I think there’s more to their story. The world is also really intriguing and unique, and the contrast between Faraine’s world and Vor’s Trolde (Troll) kingdom contrasts well. I like the juxtaposition and how both are different than what they seem, and the brewing wars and darkness that threaten the fae add a constant sense of impending doom and destruction. It’s a suspenseful, tense, and dark plot with many compelling layers, and after that ending, I definitely need to read the next book.
She may not be a warrior; that doesn’t mean she’s weak.
It is my belief that no thing of beauty should ever be caged
- arranged/forced marriage
- dual pov
- slow-build romance
Glad you also enjoyed this one!
Thank you!
OKAY, you’ve totally sold me on picking this one up! 😂 It seems to be quite a well loved title but I don’t know why I’ve hesitated to give it a go. But what you’ve mentioned about Vor, plus the banter, and the slow-burn angsty pining romance make it sound like a romantasy that I’ll really enjoy. 😍 Great review, Julie!
It;s so good – a bit darker than I expected, but such an interesting romantasy.
But it is an adult romantasy, right? Thoughts are coming back to me and I think the reason why I hesitated picking it up before is because I’d been reading too many YA romantasies that just weren’t working for me. But if it *is* adult, I’ll give it a go 😂
Yup, it’s an adult romantasy. 🙂
Shared onto Twitter/X good review
Thank you so much! 🙂