That ending!! I cannot wait for the third book in this series. I have so many questions and I can’t wait to see how the rest of this story plays out.

A Promise of Peridot picks up right where we left off after A Dawn of Onyx. These characters were going THROUGH it in this book. Arwens eternal optimism is tested in this book as she is dealing with her pain and loss and the news about the prophecy and her future. She’s enraged with Kane for betraying her and she’s dealing with a lot of complicated questions about who she is. I loved seeing Arwen’s character growth in this installment.

This is such a fun romantasy series and I’m so excited for the next book

Upon getting approved for this arc, I immediately dove back into the story of Arwen and Kane. It picks up right where A Dawn of Onyx left off with Arwen clearly upset following the final scenes of the last book. We have an inside look at her grieving process as she tries to make sense of what happened. Seeing a character go through such strong emotions on page makes Arwen even more relatable. Kate Golden does a wonderful job of portraying such raw emotions that I got emotional during the first half of the book. What the author also does well is introducing the found family trope to help Arwen through her dark times, which pulls her back up.

Although some may not like to enemies to lovers back to enemies, I appreciate that the author makes us earn back Kane’s love and trust. Character growth is achieved by both characters in this book, and I believe it was done through the dual POV chapters. As readers, we are able to get an inside look at our characters, their emotions, and internal struggles through this process.

A Promise of Peridot is an excellent second novel in The Sacred Stones series and I am already waiting patiently for the third book before this one is even officially released! An addictive, unforgettable story I will continue to think about until the next book!!

If you didn't read the first in this series, A Promise of Peridot won't make much sense to you. So go back and read A Dawn of Onyx first. These read quite a bit like Jennifer L. Armentrout's Blood & Ash books, with hidden powers, nations at war and men who aren't what they seem. They're shorter though and I don't find the FMC insufferable as I do Poppy after four 600-page books. (Sorry, Poppy.) I can't say Golden is treading new ground, but if you want something to scratch that "romantasy" itch this is a solid choice. I'll keep reading this series.

I VERY quickly fell in love with Kate Golden and her writing when I received an ARC for A Dawn Of Onxy. I was extremely excited when I had the chance to once again ARC read APoP.

I feel like Kate Golden speaks to my soul the way she writes fantasy romance. I immediately get sucked into the world until it spits me out with a cliff (seriously that cliff hanger though?!).

If you enjoy slow burn with lots of tension, banter, and amazing side characters (im looking at you Griffin 😍) this series is for you.

Plus who could turn down dual POV with a dragon 😍

A Promise of Peridot is an excellent second installment of the Sacred Stones Trilogy by Kate Golden.

It has action, love, lust, hope, despair, sacrifice, selfishness, betrayal, joy, trust, and so much more.

We pick up right where we left off in A Dawn of Onyx, with them traveling to the kingdom of Citrine to escape Lazarus’ army and try to gather forces to eventually fight him. Arwen hates Kane, Arwen is devastated and grieving, and we get to see so much of that deep dark sadness and hopelessness inside her.

I personally love reading about a character’s dark times. It makes them more real, and you can really see how they think and feel inside when they are suffering. We all have coping mechanisms we turn to, and Arwen is no different.

This gave the perfect opportunity for the found family/ friends to come in play and help lift her up as well as process everything happening without giving up. I really loved Mari, Kane, and Griffin being ther for her in their own ways. Even Fedrik – while new, he wants to help her not be so sad.

The other thing I loved was how the romance took a back seat in the first bit of the book. It makes sense, she just lost her mom, she learned something life changing, and she feels betrayed by the man she is romantic with; in what world would she just go back to bed with Kane in this situation? It is perfectly reasonable and I actually liked spending time with Arwen figuring herself out again.

I will say that I love Kane, and I was so happy to get some Kane POV chapters! I like how he has his tough, mean, dark side, and also his vulnerable, emotional, loving side with Arwen. He gets jealous seeing her spend time with Fedrik (who wouldn’t), and tries to take care of her when she wants to suffer on her own.

The one thing I didn’t love was the introduction of Fedrik as a love interest – I liked him and his involvement in the group/book, but I just didn’t want Arwen to like anyone but Kane! Kane is just perfection and while everything with Fedrik was written so well, I just love Kane!

I am agonizing over the ending and need the third book immediately! October feels so far away!

Overall, A Promise of Peridot by Kate Golden is a wonderful read and such a great second novel in the Sacred Stones trilogy! I recommend this book and series to anyone who loves fantasy enemies to lovers, slow burn, depictions of depression and coping, and found family/friendships.

Worthy of a re-read.

As much as I loved the first book, the second edition fell flat and I DNFd around 30% through. I feel like the female main character is so whiny, and her reasons for wanting to stay away from the King are pretty flimsy. Though I agree with Arwen that Kane betrayed her, and it would not have been good for them to immediately take up with one another, it still felt like a forced separation. It fell flat for me, unfortunately.

A Promise of Peridot by Kate Golden is the 2nd book in her The Sacred Stones series. After the climatic ending from A Dawn of Onyx, Arwen, Kane, Griffin, Mari and the rest of their group escape to find a sanctuary, which leads them to Citrine, in hope of finding some allies to defeat the Fae King Lazarus. Arwen and Kane are both emotionally destroyed, after shocking revelations with Arwen discovering her new found powers, and her angry at Kane’s betrayal. Arwen (the last full fae blooded born) who is destined to kill Lazarus, accepting her fate in a prophecy meant to be her doom.

Arwen has no choice to travel with Kane, since she is with the remaining group; Kane continues to protect Arwen, always able to handle her anxiety and keeping her calm. They do have an uneasy truce, with the prophecy on the horizon, and the group determined to find the Blade of the Sun; which is a weapon that would be able to use to kill King Lazarus.

The truce between Arwen and Kane is difficult for both of them, as Kane still has strong feelings for Arwen, including protecting her; she fights against her unresolved feelings for Kane. In a short time, with the danger escalating when they cannot find the Blade, the chemistry and heat between them eventually opens their true feelings of love. The side characters were very good, equally as good as Kane and Arwen. I did love Kane and Arwen together, but I also like Griffin and Mari together.

What follows is intense, non- stop action, as they travel through other kingdoms in the hunt for the Blade; including the journey through the cave and island. The last third of the book was full of adventure, danger, intrigue, fast-paced, twists and turns. I was unable to put the book down, as it kept my attention throughout. It was also emotional, as well as steamy; with Kane and Arwen finally being together.

As we reach the last ¼ of the book, Arwen and Kane’s last battle was epic, with another betrayal that changes things. The epilogue was wild and crazy, with a cliffhanger that was complex and an ending that threw us for a loop. A Promise of Peridot is an exciting, non-stop action filled, with twists that had me unable to put the book down. A Promise of Peridot was so very well written by Kate Golden. With that intense and wild ending, I can’t wait to read the final book in this trilogy.

This was so addictive and captivating! I finished “A Dawn of Onyx“ fully OBSESSED with this couple, and “A Promise of Peridot” did not disappoint. Picking up shortly after the end of Onyx, this book was quick to grab my attention and hold it, with loads of action and exciting new kingdoms.

“You matter more to me. More than revenge, redemption – anything.”

While I do think book #1 had a bit of a stronger plotline, Peridot wasn’t lacking adventures or entertainment. And most importantly (for me, at least), it wasn’t lacking Kane & Arwen content. I did find myself a bit irritated by the vague love triangle (dare I say the cursed words) and the lengthy and repetitive fights, as it kinda started giving “Iron Flame”… those that know, know. But thankfully, once my loves finally got over it, it was worth the wait!

“A light like yours cannot be dampened by circumstance.”

We got more of our favourite side characters, plus some gorgeous character development from Arwen – she was so strong in this book, always fighting back and never giving up, and I loved watching her growth. I also loved the new fantasy elements and fascinating new places – sometimes I thought the actual circumstances that lead to the characters reaching those places were a bit random, but it was a fun ride!

Now I just have to wait for book #3 to relieve me of that brutal ending…
Thank you so much to Kate Golden for sending me this free copy in exchange for an honest review! Definitely recommended to my fellow romantasy lovers 💕💕.

A Promise of Peridot by Kate Golden is a fast-paced, fantastical, and enjoyable read. The second novel in this thrilling romantasy saga will leave you just as breathless as the first installment.

Oh my gosh. I am speechless with this ending. Reading this series is like being transported to a magical fantasy world filled with fae, magic, and adventure.

- Fae
- Kingdom politics
- Dislike to lovers
- Banter
- Steamy tension
- Lots of jealousy and pining


Kate Golden has done it again. The world she created is so magical and her writing just transports you there. I was so immersed in the action and characters that I forgot I was reading. The start was a little slow because she was recalling the end of book 1 but I honestly appreciate that because I always forget what happened at the end of the last book lol

I love Arwen and Kane. Arwen has become a total warrior and I honestly enjoyed her being a little reckless ❤️‍🔥 Kane would do anything for Arwen and don’t we all deserve a badass dragon shifter who would do the same?! lol

The ending was SO GOOD! I truly did not know how she was going to end it knowing there is another book coming and I personally love a well-done cliffhanger. This one had my jaw on the floor.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️


Thank you NetGalley and Kate Golden for the ARC copy*

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

"You matter more to me. More than revenge, redemption--anything. Don't you know I love you, Arwen?...I'm in love with you." His laugh was rough and tired. "Desperately so. The way those sailors lost at sea love the bird that guides them home."

3.5 stars

This would have been so much better if it weren't for Arwen. She was immature, hypocritical, and cruel at times. There just hasn't been enough positives about her character to warrant the feelings that Kane has for her.

The story itself was interesting, though I think this one was slower and not as much was happening. Another character was introduced specifically to drive a wedge between Arwen and Kane; I don't think he served any other purpose to the story, which was really annoying.

And Kane was fucking amazing despite his icky taste in women, present company included. It's always fun to watch these really dark, villainous MMC's slowly start to show their gooey centers.

I'll still continue the series, but the exciting parts of this series are evenly matched with the disappointments imo.

So I liked this one even more than the first book and it gave me more of everything that was in the first book, This book continues after the first book and follows Arwen, Kane, and Co as they face a lot of action and adventure. This book was very fast-paced and nuanced especially when dealing with Arwen's grief and emotions. I liked the character development and how both Kane and Arwen grew throughout the whole book. This is a slow burn, enemies to lovers after what happened at the end of the last book, and it's very worth the wait! If you loved romantasies with steam then you need to check this one out. Thank you Berkley for this arc for an honest review.

Read if you like:
- Romantasy
- Forced proximity
- Enemies to lovers
- Hurt/comfort
- King and healer
- Fae, witches, dragons and magic

4 stars
Thank you to Kate Golden for sending me the ARC of that much awaited sequel!
In A Dawn of Onyx I said that we had:
*romantasy;
*enemies to lovers trope;
* a “who did this to you” hero (that is all the rage on social media at the moment);
*fae and fantastical beasts;
*character growth ;
* also secrets and mysteries around the main character

Well this is still true in A Promise of Peridot but add to it:
*grief;
*slow burn leading to a LOT of spice in the sex scenes!

What’s to like in A Promise of Peridot?

1)Arwen.
I still love her as she still finds joy and relief in healing others but she will have even more depth in this sequel! Look at the character growth below!

2)The character growth.
By the end of A Dawn of Onyx, we had an emboldened Arwen, trusting in her abilities. She’s been put to the test and came victorious. From mouse to warrior.
In A Promise of Peridot, Arwen is still a warrior but she also is deeply conflicted! She knows now of her fate and finds it unfair! Of course she wants to save everyone from king Lazarus but she also wants to live! She wants to have a future! So she will be constantly torn between chasing her destiny and fearing it.

3)The mystery surrounding Arwen.
We will finally learn what Arwen really is and how she came to be it. But there are still unanswered questions that I guess will be addressed in the next and last instalment!

4)The slow burn/redemption trope
From Enemies to Lovers we are now on a slow burn/redemption trope! Kane has lied to Arwen and has manipulated her! So the attraction and trust she felt for him are now damaged! Kane has some groveling to do (I love a good groveling) and Arwen has to find it in herself to forgive him.

5)The friendship.
The friendship between Arwen and Maryis still going strong and I love their shenanigans!

Know that A Promise of Peridot is darker even then a Dawn of Onyx as Arwen is grieving her mother. She is also shocked by what she has done in her desperate outburst and is raging against her destiny. It also ends on a big cliffhanger!

A Promise of Peridot is for you if you like romantasy, fae, slow burn, redemption, and a prophecy trope.

INCREDIBLE sequel to A Dawn of Onyx. It had everything that I hoped for and more. The story was always moving, a lot of character development, and had an abundance of action and romance! My jaw was on the floor through the last chapter and epilogue. My heart breaks that we have to wait till October for book #3!

This book picks up right where A Dawn of Onyx ended. Kane, Arwen, and their friends are traveling to the Kingdom of Citrine in the hopes of escaping Lazarus’ army. There is a lot of tension between Arwen and Kane after the shocking secrets Arwen learned at the battle of Siren’s Cove, but being forced to work and travel with Kane makes it hard for Arwen to remain angry at him and to keep hating him.

There is an expansion of the world-building in this sequel, as the characters visit the Kingdom of Citrine, and also have to travel back to Peridot and Onyx in their quest to locate the Blade of the Sun. We learn a little more about the inter-kingdom politics too, and some of the alliances or conflicts between the royals, but I feel that there is potential for a lot more politics in this series, and I hope to see more of it in the final book.

Arwen’s growth and character development take up most of the first half of the book, and while I read many reviews stating that it was harder to get involved in her and Kane’s journey because their romance took the backseat in this sequel, I loved that choice from the author. Arwen’s life got turned upside down and it makes sense to me that she would need some time to focus on herself, and not on her romantic life, especially if she feels betrayed by Kane. It’s true that I missed the banter and sweet romance between Kane and Arwen in this book, but it would have annoyed me if she’d decided to just jump back into bed with him after a few days.

We finally have some chapters from Kane’s point of view in this book! It’s something I wanted since he was introduced in A Dawn of Onyx.

Kane still has his flirty attitude when he interacts with Arwen, but he also lets himself be vulnerable with her, so she can see his raw emotions, and how much he loves her. I find that he is a very well-balanced character with his cockiness, selflessness, and more mature side, but he can also be vindictive and mean when he feels threatened or jealous because Arwen spends time with other dashing men. He can be very kind and considerate but also burn the world to ashes for the ones he loves and for his kingdom, and I can’t wait to see how the next confrontation between his father and him will go.

The romance between Arwen and Kane in this sequel is a mix of angst, and longing, as Arwen struggles with her emotions toward Kane in the light of all the revelations that happened at the end of A Dawn of Onyx. I love that there was tension (and sexual tension) between them, but she didn’t just forgive and forget right away because he apologized and was miserable. She took the time she needed to process everything that happened and to try to figure out how she felt about it, but while there was some unease between them, it was not an all-out war either, as they were forced to travel together and work together to find the blade.

I like that the author also spent some time developing Mari and Griffin’s characters, but also their budding romance (even though they still have a lot of work to do), and their relationships with the rest of the group. I liked seeing Griffin slowly warm up to Arwen, and seeing Kane and Mari form the beginning of a friendship. I am still desperately waiting for Mari and Griffin to finally admit their feelings to each other though.

One thing that I enjoyed less, is the use of the typical “dashing and funny prince as a potential second love interest” trope. Just think about Nikolai in Shadow and Bone, Prince Franco in the Fair Isle trilogy, or Kai in the Frostblood saga. Every time, I fall in love with this amazing new character, and I am not complaining about that at all, it’s the “will they won’t they” dance that slightly annoys me, because it is always obvious that the main character will not renounce her one true love for the new cute guy. I would have loved it if Arwen’s relationship with Fedrik was simply a beautiful friendship, without any hints of him wanting more, because it is obvious that Kane loves her and that she’s pinning after him. There was never any doubt in my mind, and I feel that it was used mostly as a way to create more jealousy and drama in Arwen and Kane’s relationship. That being said, I love Fedrik, and I really hope that he will be present in the next book because he was a great friend to Arwen.

This is a great sequel to A Dawn of Onyx. The pace is good and the plot moves forward, there is action, tension, and some romance, and the ending almost makes me regret not waiting until all three books of the series were released before reading it. I do want Arwen and Kane to have their HEA, but is it bad that I am also hoping for some angst and darker moments in the final book?

HOLY COW, I don’t even know where to start! That ending 🤯 Going to be honest, I had completely forgot what happened in the first book, so I went back and did a reread. I was immediately thrown back into this amazing world and fell in love with the characters. This was an amazing follow up, and I loved all the adventure and new places our characters traveled.

I NEED book three asap. This is a must read for all fantasy lovers!

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the eARC of A Promise of Peridot in exchange for my honest review!!

I had such a good time with this one! It has the right formula for all romantasy lovers and I was a sucker for it. Fun storyline, great characters, and good writing.

Can’t wait to read the third book!!

Wowza. Alright. 4.5⭐️
This was an awesome second installment to the Sacred Stones series. It read like I was watching a movie, and I was enthralled from beginning to end.

This had so many of my favorite things. Extensive groveling, boy absolutely (DEMENTEDLY) obsessed, self-growth arc for FMC that lasts longer than a chapter, quality side characters with their own compelling subplots, NEW swoonworthy characters thrown into the mix, gasp-inducing betrayals and an action-packed ADVENTURE throughout.

I feel like we got a much deeper development of the world and lore, which was nice. Plus, there is a way more full-fleshed development of the characters' mindsets as it pertains to the specific crisis we left the last book on, and that really helped to understand motivations and reactions . All important!!

And my oh my, that cliff hanger is something I could not have guessed even though I should have. Absolutely panting for the 3rd one. This was so good!

Thank you so much to Berkley for providing me with this ARC via Netgalley!

I just finished A Promise of Peridot, and I AM NOT OKAY but in the BEST possible way! I adored A Dawn of Onyx when I read it last year, and I had high hopes for this book. I'm so excited to say it defied my expectations. I LOVED it! The action, the suspense, the world-building, backstories, and lore, the characters, THE ROMANCE. It's a fantastic sequel, and I devoured every word!

The story picks up where A Dawn of Onyx leaves off, and Arwen is grappling with everything she learned. The story is told from both her and Kane's perspectives as they search for a way to change the tragic future that haunts them. The dual narration is fantastic, as you really get to understand both of them. Arwen's growth is fantastic. She goes on such a journey, as she faces her conflicting feelings and the future that awaits her. Her character is well-crafted and layered, and I sympathized with her, especially when she struggled with anxiety. And Kane is the only one who really understands what to do to help her when she has panic attacks. He calms her and never makes her feel less than because of it. Just another reason to love him! And I love that we get more of Kane's backstory. It was heartbreaking, but it made me love him even more than I already did.

Kane is definitely a contender for top-tier, Rhysand-level book boyfriend. I love me a morally grey, swoon-worthy MMC, and Kane does not disappoint! He and Arwen have a strained relationship after what happened at the end, but the chemistry is still off the charts, and their slow-burn love story is everything. And seeing Kane's feelings for Arwen and the self-sacrificing way he thinks of her happiness, even if it leads to his misery, broke my heart at the same time it melted it. I need more Kane's in my romances because WHEW!

There's another love story blooming with two of the secondary characters, and I am here for it. I'm hoping both characters and their love story continue in the next book because the only thing better than one romance is two! We also have old and new secondary characters with compelling stories, and I enjoyed seeing how they formed this little found family (one of my favorite tropes).

The plot and world-building balance the character development well, and the way the author expands the world - its magic system, political turmoil, cultures, and creatures - is so immersive and fascinating. I also love the author's use of imagery and symbolism throughout the story. It's positively captivating, and I found it impossible to put the book down. And that ending!! My word, it's an intense and stunning (and horrifying) shocker! I might have had to pick my jaw up off the floor, and I definitely shed a few tears before the story ended. This is my favorite read of the month and a contender for the best romantasy of the year!

Special thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Books, and Kate Golden for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

i sadly couldn’t get into this one as much as the first one. it kept my interest towards the end but it wasn’t a book i would be binge reading like typical. 3.5 stars for me. if there’s another one in the series, i may read it to see how it concludes.