Weekend Briefing: Pre-Release Review of Sylvia Mercedes's Bride of the Shadow K

For fans of The Bridge Kingdom and A Deal with the Elf King, this arranged marriage romance about a human princess forced to wed a dark and desperate Shadow King is sure to entice!

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?

Passionate and alluring, Bride of the Shadow King is an arranged marriage tale with dual point-of-view (his and hers). The first book in a new fantasy romance series, this sweeping tale of love and betrayal is perfect for readers looking for a touch of spice to go with the sweet in their next swoony, slow-burn romance.

                                                                        ~~~

                                                                 My Review:

I am newer to Sylvia Mercedes (though an age-old fan to her previous pen name), and I have been reading her books nonstop. So when she was offering ARC copies of the first book to a new series, I fought my way onto the list, and here we are.

The world: This is my second time reading from this world, and in this is a different slice of it from my previous visit. Here I get to see a beautiful dichotomy of a medieval human surface world under attack by unicorn-riding Fae, and a majestic underground Trolde world under siege by a dark, insidious evil. The sheer level of difference between these worlds was staggering, and watching the characters from each learn the others' cultures was fantastic world-building.

The characters: We get the tale through two first-person POVs, which is my favorite construct. Prince Faraine was a very relatable character as she dealt with her empathetic powers, crazy family, and her lot in life with quiet grace. Then there is King Vor, ever noble and strong and sacrificial. Faraine has her four sisters... er, I mean three sisters and a brother. And Vor has his own brother with whom we both shared a love-hate relationship. He is absolutely hilarious, but I was right there with Vor threatening to smash his face in every two seconds. And Vor's loyal captain is also fantastic. I want to see more of them and all the other characters in this web of intrigue between two courts.

The chemistry: Better buckle-up, because there was a lot of this. So much that there came a point where I was just wincing because I knew that when it all came crashing down, that chemistry was going to be a lethal weapon that would come back on each of the protagonists. Forbidden love and slow burn to train-wreck in progress.

The stakes: Fae oblivion on one side and darkness oblivion for the other. Everything is hinged on a marriage between two strangers. But the chemistry might be the biggest obstacle. Also, the court intrigue. Lots of that, too.

The twist: All I can say is, I better not have read what I thought I read. Miss Mercedes better fix some things in the second book and undo the terrible- lies, I'm sure it was just lies- or else I am going to be Put Out.

The cliffhanger: Wait, what? I don't want to see a cliffhanger. I want book two. Now. Yesterday. Come on, now. *Breathing exercises*

Note to more sensitive readers: This book had some bad language, violence, horror elements, and STRONG romantic themes (but it did not go too far).

 

Check it out on Amazon 

 

Pre-Order for only $0.99