In the Kingdom of Kaloma, women are forced to marry by the age of 26. It’s the law.

In the remote village of Sevens, at the northernmost point of the kingdom, there lives an impoverished family with four daughters and a son. Without the means to make love matches, the daughters are trapped by their circumstances.

When one daughter discovers a golden key deep in the Whitling Woods, it may have the power to change everything…

I really hope this book finds its readers because this cover is to good to waste. For me this is a take it or leave it. I did enjoy it but I don't think I will read book two. It failed to really grip me within its pages. The characters weren't all that fun to read about and the story was just kind of bland.

Interesting premise, spicy "romance" (more of an insta-love), but it was slow at times and I don't think I needed to be 500 pages.

Aurielle's world is both cruel and demanding: a marriage law forces women to marry by 26 or be subjected to a breeding house or death. Her and her sisters would love nothing more than to be able to marry for love like their parents, or not marry at all, but only one woman per household is granted the right to not marry and their eldest sister has taken that role. The few men that do venture into the marriage market are far from what any of the sisters would like and are either marrying an additional wife into their already large household or are sinister and brutal. A horrible altercation in the market leaves all the women staying at home the following day where Auri spends her afternoon gathering for her family. Essentials to keep her family alive are not the only things Auri finds as she stumbles across an enchanted clearing in the woods, not dissimilar to the one her sister has spoken of, and becomes the holder of the magical key, and it's key keeper Nix. Nix will grant Auri three wishes, but each wish comes at a cost.

I have never read The Golden Key, but it also dabbles in elements of Beauty and the Beast and I absolutely love Beauty and the Beast. I loved the rich plot and world building elements of the story. I will keep the plot as minimal as possible to avoid spoilers and I wholeheartedly believe you should go in blind to get the most enjoyment out of this series. There will definitely be a second book, and I am excited to see where it will take us.

While I am hardly a fan of instant love, the connection and bond between Nix and Auri and the angst had me in its grip. There is definitely some spice with this, but I don't think it was overbearing or took away from the plot. There are some questions I don't think we had answered at all for us and I hope are covered in the next book, and I really hope we get more of Auri's siblings.

This was a really fun and interesting read it definitely won't go in my top reads but I still enjoyed it alot

In the Shadow of a Wish by Maci Aurora was incredible. Touching on themes of feminism, bodily autonomy and what happens when you lose most and/or all of it, Aurora pushes important conversations on her readers while couching them in a fun plot, tragic yet loveable characters and excellent steamy scenes.
I devoured this book within the day and recommend it wholeheartedly if sexy genies, headstrong protagonists, family love, and poignant topics are your thing!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review; thank you!

Our heroine, Auri, comes from an impoverished family that lives in a region with oppressive marriage laws. One day, she finds an enchanted key that traps her and brings her to Nix.

I enjoyed this book, but I couldn't bring myself to give it four stars. Although the main relationship was interesting (and spicy) I actually set the book down after the first wish was made and didn't pick it back up for a while. Some of the dialogue was repetitive and predictable, but the ending was satisfying and the spicier scenes were very well-written! I liked Auri as a heroine, especially seeing how she chose to use her wishes! Overall, not a bad read, just one I may not eagerly recommend to someone!

Written by Maci Aurora, this novel follows Auri as she finds herself drawn into a spell of wishes and the God of the Night, Nix. Nix has been trapped in this lonely world for a hundred years, and it seems that Auri might finally be the one to set him free.

Or, just be the one.

I really enjoyed this book, though I think I could do with an ending that goes a little bit further into their story after the happily ever after.

This definitely feels like an ADULT (emphasis on the ADULT, THIS IS NOT FOR CHILDREN) fairytale retelling. I’m not sure which tale it might be – definitely not beauty and the beast, though there is a library and loneliness – but it is fantastic and reads well.

The romance between our main characters felt organic, and Nix was a gentleman or at least tried to be one. In this case, the trying counts for something. It counts for a lot.

I was rooting for these two characters as soon as we met Nix.

One thing, the first two chapters of this book are odd, as they are really just little fairytales. If you get to that and you don’t know what is going on, keep pushing.

This is a book for fans of retellings, romance, fantasy, a bit of fae, and mystery. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

I did receive a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and MIxed Plate Press for providing this ARC!

Actual stars from me 3.5 ⭐!

Auri and her siblings are trapped by a rule that requires them to get married at the age of 28. If not fulfilled then there will be punishment given to them and their families. Auri and her sisters grew up with parents who love each other so they don't want to get married, let alone the result of the Marriage Market. Until one day Auri, finding the golden key that gives her the ability to change her future with the reward she must survive with Nix, the God of Night and Darkness, fulfilling all the consequences.

The story idea offered is interesting about the golden key that can grant wishes. At the beginning of the book, we are explained separately about the legend of the golden key and also the Marriage law that binds the world of this book so that when we start reading we are "given" with the origin of the story that will be told here. The story runs fast from the beginning, starting with the Auri and sisters who are trapped by Marriage Law until finally Auri finds the golden key and is trapped in that world with Nix. However, after being in a different world, the storyline turns slow.

The story changes slowly and indeed only focuses on Auri and Nix's relationship. From the time Auri entered 'this' world with Nix until Auri made her first wish, it was quite long as well as the dynamics of the relationship between the two that was formed. I'm personally quite annoyed too while reading this as the plot gets slow and repetitive on the part of Auri and Nix who are hesitant about each other's existence. But, over time it became clearer and more exciting the conflict that was discussed and not only focused on the relationship between the two but also began to show signs of enemies appearing.

There are 2 points of view that are brought from the side of Nix and Auri. Their relationship is actually more like a soulmate relationship. And how they are willing to sacrifice for each other is so sweet. However, in the beginning I was a bit disturbed by their "dirty thoughts" for each other which actually made me tired because it happened again and again but there was no progress and no effort was made, instead it was filled with continuous doubts.

For characters, Auri is definitely a smart female character because all the requests she gives are based on long thoughts and not carelessly. Nix, a typical god who is "perfect" in appearance and very sweet of course to Auri except for the early moments where they still annoy each other.

This book can actually be considered finished for this story, but there is an even bigger conflict that has been prepared by the author and sister Auri will be directly involved and give her own POV it seems.

Thanks to NetGalley and Mixed Plate Press for providing me with a copy of this to give an honest review of!

In the Shadow of a Wish is a novel I absolutely <i>loved</i>, enough to ignore pretty much all of its faults. In the Kingdom of Kaloma resides a woman, Auri, and her family. A law in the kingdom says that all women must be married by 27, or risk being taken away to a breeding house (or worse) - and Auri and her sisters are inching closer to that date. However, when Auri finds a golden key in the woods, her whole life changes in an instant.

Trapped inside a spell along with the god of night, Nixus. He is forced to grant her three wishes, though each of these wishes has to be paid for - usually by spending 24 hours dealing with the opposite, with Nix as the "villain" - the cause of the misfortune, the punisher, the torturer. At the end of their three wishes, she is to be given a choice - to leave and take her prize with her, or to sacrifice something to release him from the spell. Problem is, not even Nix knows that that sacrifice must be.

Auri starts to detangle the spell the longer she stays there - she is relentless, wanting to free Nix, looking for a loophole, all the while deciding what her wishes will be. She's a selfless person, wanting to make life better for others first, so the wishes take some work - as they must benefit her, too. However, she and Nix also start to bond, growing more and more fond of each other's company until they fall into each other, neither wanting things to end.

This story is a tale of wit as much as it is one of spellcraft, and drama. The twists at the end of the book regarding the spell's origins had my jaw on the floor - no way I could have seen that coming!! Sometimes the pace got a little slow in the middle - I once checked the % expecting it to be near endgame (hoping it was near endgame) and found myself to only be around the 60% mark - but as things started to speed up, I was grateful for the slodown, and all the worldbuilding it provided to prepare me for the End(TM).

I'll definitely read this one again - if you're into myth retellings, fantasy with a twist, and romances that make your heart softer than a stick of butter in a mircowave, this one's for you.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In the Shadow of a Wish introduces you to Auri and Nixus. At times, they reminded me of the Genie and Aladdin. Then it moved towards Beauty and the Beast. Only to end up being Hercules and Meg in my eyes. Either way, I liked how they transitioned throughout these because it made me fall even more in love with them.

Ever since they first met, they had this amazing chemistry. Plus, the sexual tension that developed around them just made it easier for me to ship them together. Of course, we had to figure out the three wishes and the overall curse that surrounded them. It's safe to say, that I'm really happy with how everything turned out.

I do wish, though, that the big defeat took a bit longer. Still, I can't be mad that Auri quickly figured it all out. I'm also really happy that everyone made it out alive (sort of) and can work towards happily ever after. Well, until the dreaded cliffhanger comes into play.

Not sure what to think about that ending. Secretly hoping and wishing for the absolute best when it comes to these two. I'm also really intrigued about the red ribbon and where it is. Heck, I want to know what it is because it makes me think Auri could be something more.

In the end, I'm so happy that I got the chance to dive into this and can't wait to get my hands on the sequel. I need more of Auri and Nix please!

I was drawn to this book by the cover and description, and it did not disappoint! I could not put it down and finished it in a day. I loved the main characters and their relationship. I was very invested in what was going to happen next. I would definitely recommend going in blind (after checking trigger warnings of course) to get the best experience. The plot, tension, and romance were all great in my opinion. I did not love the side characters as much but I hope that changes in the books to come.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I seem to have forgotten to review this, so here we go..
when i say it was absolutely enchanting, i very much mean that, from word building, to the pacing, plotting and the character's arc.. everything was exceptional! Although, the romance was kinda insta- love for my taste, despite that i found myself really loving the MCs and their love because in my humble opinion, they're twin flames. Also, after that little teaser at the end i can't wait enough for the next instalment already.

2.5 out of 5 stars. The premise and beginning of this story was so charming and had so much potential! I thought that this was easy to follow but at the same time, not much seemed to happen. This could have definitely be shorter and I felt like much of the story focused on the romance which just wasn't my cup of tea - I didn't have any inclination towards either of the main characters. I would have loved more about Auri and her sisters because I thought they had so much character as a group in the beginning. It would have been fun to follow them all together for a bit longer.

I stumbled across this book by chance because of the gorgeous cover and am so glad I did because it was a really enjoyable take on the Grimm's fairy tale The Golden Key. Set in a world where women have next to no rights after losing a war to a neighbouring country, Auri and her sisters are required to attend the local market regularly to find a suitable husband as per their country's laws. Men and women are ordered to be married by a certain age, with men able to take more than one wife and women found in breach of the law liable to be sent to birthing houses (which I'm assuming were like brothels) or into a forced marriage. Dark times, indeed. The daughter of a poor family, Auri knows that love probably isn't on the cards for herself and her sisters and that a grim future awaits them. Until one day, she happens upon a small hidden meadow in the snow while foraging. Upon finding a golden key, she's whisked away into a foreign realm occupied by Nixus, the god of darkness and night, who is trapped indefinitely until a key keeper chooses to sacrifice themselves for him in order to end his curse.

There was a lot I liked in this book. The whole premise of the key keeper and her three wishes was entertaining, with the author putting a great twist on it whereby for every wish granted, the key keeper must also pay an obligation. There's the solid world building where Nixus, a god with limitless power, is somehow trapped by a spell, destined to remain cursed until he can be freed. Most of the book revolves around Nixus and Auri, their developing relationship and the curse so there weren't a lot of secondary characters as they were trapped in a magical realm. I liked both of the main characters. Nixus struggled with the prospect of forever being trapped alone in the spell and Auri showed solid character development, going from a somewhat strong woman who was a bit unsure of herself to one more confident with her sexuality. I found she was a little inconsistent occasionally as she almost came across as uncharacteristically petulant, but overall I liked her.

The author included a trigger warning at the start which I thought was a good idea as while I didn't find it an overly dark read, there was certainly a lack of control taken from Auri, including sexually (but again, it wasn't excessively dark and there was no assault, etc.). The Kaloma Marriage Laws were backwards and oppressive towards women so this might be frustrating for some readers as well, although the book tries to deal with these issues in its own way. There was a good amount of steam scattered throughout the book as Auri is given control of her body for the first time in her life and it gave a nice balance to the antiquated marriage laws forced on her in her own realm.

I found some of the themes a little repetitive, especially since the book was on the longer side and it was around the halfway mark before Auri even made her first wish. There seemed to be a lot of pondering, which I get as the wording for the spells had to be just so, but I would have though Auri would have been more concerned about being missing from her family. There was also a lot of back and forth with Nix as he told himself that his time with Auri would only be brief so he was in denial a lot and not wanting to look into why she was affecting him so.

Overall, I enjoyed the twist on a familiar fairy tale. While it was a little predictable, the world building was solid and it had a happy ending. I'd definitely be interested in the next book in the series as it focusses on one of Auri's sisters.

This book wasn't for me and I am so sad and disappointed because I wanted to love it so badly!

The concept of the book is not that original but as the story progressed, it became ever more generic and simple.

I wish I could love it but I can't.

Whoa! What a ride. It was very fast-paced. The writing style kept me hooked and I didn't find myself losing any interest. I enjoyed getting to know each of the characters and how real the story felt. The author did a great job painting the setting, so it was easy for me to visualize the scene played out before me. I recommend giving this one a chance!

I'm dropping a star because of the italics. The entire fucking thing is in italics. I don't know if this is an ARC thing or if it's going to be different for other readers, but it irritated me. This book also needed to be edited, but it was an ARC so I suppose I should be forgiving of that, though deep down in my heart I am not forgiving and am, in fact, butt hurt every time I come across a shittily or not edited ARC. If we have come to the stage in the game where you're giving out ARCs, your shit should be edited. I can understand some changes may still happen prior to publishing, but edit your shit.

So, the description of this book goes on about the village of Sevens and their marriage laws, but that actually doesn't really matter or play into the plot much aside from setting Auri up as a virgin who would apparently be executed if she dare flick the bean. This is a book about Auri falling in love with Nix but fighting it because he is a god and it couldn't possibly work out and Nix falling in love with Auri but fighting it because she is the keyholder and will screw him over just like all the others did. Thankfully, Auri is Not Like Other Keyholders and wants to wear pants and not dresses and doesn't want riches or immortality but wants things for other people because she is Selfless and Pure and Not Like Other Keyholders.

The plot is a bit contrived in places, but overall I did quite enjoy it. Just go into it knowing that it's a smutty fantasy romance and not much more. You aren't going to get deep plotting here. The whole story for the most part is just the interplay between Auri and Nix, flirting and banging. It begins with Nix giving her a smutty bodice ripper that gets her junk all atwitter and she starts getting some raunchy ideas. The sexy bits were okay. I didn't cringe at them like some reviewers did, but it was the pre-sexy bits that I enjoyed most. The sexual tension was done well IMO. This author wrote Nix in a way that appealed to me as a reader. He was dark and broody and holding himself back even though he wanted to fuck her so bad that he was fapping to get it out of his system. On the note of smut and sexy bits, there were cocks and no velvet coated rebar, which I am always appreciative of. I do recommend this if you like fantasy smut and can tolerate 500 some-odd pages of fucking italics.

Sort of beauty and beast, trapped by a curse/spell, a god, a sacrifice (of course) and 3 wishes thing going on. Unexpectedly spicy 🌶🌶🌶 and also some fade to black scenes. This was a romance first and (sort of) light fantasy second. Fated mates, although it’s called “yoke” or “yoking” here which I find more annoying then the term fate/fated mates. Minimal world building. A bit slow, they are just stuck in this alternate realm of sorts searching to break the spell while falling in love and boning down every so often. Which is absolutely fine, for a bit, but it’s most of the book it doesn’t need 500 pages of the same thing. I just needed more plot/fantasy/action/adventure…something more. It was just ok.

A maiden required to marry, a powerful god tied to a golden key, and three wishes are the major elements of Maci Aurora's In the Shadow of a Wish.

This story is a beautiful mix between Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast, it offers a delightful contemplation on wants and needs in a richly detailed setting and supported fascinating myths.

I enjoyed the pacing of this book as well as the very hot push/pull the characters have with each other as they sort through their feelings and the predicament they cause.

The book hits all of the marks for a fantasy romance, but with firm feminist leanings and I couldn't help but smile with delight as I read their last lines of dialog.

There are some dark moments in this book so it is definitely for 18 and up!
I look forward to the next book is this series.