The Road of Bones by Demi Winters was everything I crave in a Fantasy Romance, gripping, atmospheric, and brimming with tension that kept me turning pages late into the night. From the first chapter, I was completely immersed in this Viking-inspired world, where danger lurks around every corner and secrets unravel at just the right pace.

From the first chapter, I was drawn into Silla’s journey. Forced to flee after a devastating attack, she finds herself relying on the Bloodaxe Crew, an unruly band of deadly warriors who become her found family. Silla starts off uncertain and out of her depth, but what I loved most was watching her transformation. She isn’t immediately strong, nor does she have all the answers, but she learns. She stumbles, she makes mistakes, and she grows into a fighter in her own right. Her evolution is one of the book’s greatest strengths, and I couldn’t help but root for her every step of the way.

As for the romance, we get not one but two compelling love interests, each bringing a different kind of intensity to Silla’s story. One offers an all-consuming, possessive passion, while the other builds something deeper, something earned. The push and pull between these relationships added layers of emotional depth, keeping me constantly guessing where Silla’s heart would land.

The Bloodaxe Crew was definitely my favorite part of the story. Their camaraderie, witty banter, and unwavering loyalty made them feel like a true found family. I loved how each member had their own distinct personality, and the way their dynamics evolved throughout the book kept the story engaging even outside the central romance.

The world-building, while immersive, doesn’t overwhelm the story with unnecessary details. Instead, Winters weaves in just enough mythology, mystery, and tension to keep the pages flying. The pacing is fast and relentless, but the plot never feels rushed. Every revelation, every twist, every battle had me more invested than the last. And the breathtaking ending left me desperate for the next installment.

If you love epic journeys, high-stakes tension, and romance that smolders, The Road of Bones is a must-read. I’ll be diving into the next book immediately!

The 411...

Silla Nordvig has only known what life on the run is like, she and her father travel from place to place picking up random jobs in the towns they pass through. They never stay long and although all of the reasons for their instability aren't clear to Silla, she loves her father and will follow him wherever he goes. When Silla's father is killed on the road, his last dying words urge Silla to seek out a shield-house in Kopa. This would require Silla to travel through the thousand mile stretch known as the Road Of Bones where if the war bands don't kill her, the dark creatures in the woods will. Scared and out of options, Silla spots a supply wagon stationed in town and decides to hitch a ride unbeknownst to its owner. She just so happens to have chosen the wagon that belongs to the fearsome mercenaries known as the Bloodaxe Crew. It doesn't take long for her to be discovered by their leader Rey aka Axe Eyes and his most trusted right hand man Jonas aka the Wolf. She asks Rey if the crew would allow her to tag along for a ride to Kopa and in exchange she will cook all of their meals. Rey agrees after much convincing on the one condition that she never lie to him, it is the one thing he deems unforgivable. Silla does not disclose that she  is being hunted down by Queen Signe of Íseldure or that the reason is her magic. Silla is considered Galdra and in this world, the King rounds up and kills Galdra. His wife the Queen on the other hand has a hidden operation where she collects the most rare of the Galdra as part of her personal assassins. The Road Of Bones is a 500 page character driven journey + Viking romance that primarily focuses on the camaraderie between the members of the Bloodaxe Crew.

THOUGHTS...

If you enjoy slow burn character driven stories set on a journey to a final destination, The Road Of Bones is one not to miss. The pay off is absolutely worth it and the time taken to weave this story makes all the sense by the end. The world building is excellent and while the magic system admittedly could've used a bit more defining, it does seem promising we will get that in the second installment of this duology. Our main character Silla is presented as being mostly green in experience with just about everything. She spends most of her time apologizing for her inexperience but the women (true stars) of the Bloodaxe Crew take her under their wing and begin training her on self defense. We see drug addiction depicted by way of leaves Silla ingests in order to feel well and prevent migraines. There is a deeper exploration of the dependency on these leaves between Silla and Rey who had a brother addicted to them as well.  The crew members are three dimensional and have turned their misfortunes into strengths, down to their broody and mysterious leader Rey. It all makes for an odd pairing between Silla and the crew but nonetheless they take a liking to her and feel the need to protect her. Making things a bit more interesting are Silla's romantic feelings and trysts with one of the crew members. This was the first time I didn't agree with a shipped romance and walked away feeling pretty good about my intuition. The last 100 pages unraveled some eye opening revelations that had me grasping for Kingdom Of Claw which mercifully is now out in the wild! Not sure how I'm going to fill the void these characters are sure to leave me with but I highly recommend if you enjoy getting emotionally invested in fictional characters.

Vikings: Check. Fantasy: Check. Romance: Check. Holy cow, I loved this book. I was hard pressed to put it down. I thought the world building was great and the book flowed really well. The romance was spicey. I'm really looking forward to the next book to see what else unfolds.

It was a little rough to follow the storyline with the different POVs in 3rd person. it felt like another romantasy book where we have a virgin MC & a love triangle. not really my interest. I can definitely see a lot of other people loving this though.

but I personally DNF’d at around 35%.

Really wonderful Romantasy book with amazing characters, fun banter, and an ending that will make you immediately dive into book two!

Tysm for the ARC! Really looking forward to anything else this author writes!

Vikings. Forbidden romance. Twists and turns. Characters feel multidimensional and like they are alive. What more do you need??? Read now.

I was surprised at how much I liked this one! The pacing seemed slow, but at the same time I found myself having a hard time putting it down. I just was too curious as to how everything was going to play out with Silla and the Bloodaxe Crew. I liked Silla. I was very intrigued by her character. She was so innocent and naive and of course all of that changed throughout this book. I enjoyed reading about her understanding her strength and showing everyone how much grit she had. She was brave and smart and so kind but again naive. I liked reading about her interactions with this hodge podge of a crew she ends up with. Especially their leader Axe Eyes. He is the definition of a grump. And then you have Jonas who transforms into so much more than I originally thought him to be. All of the crew members help Silla on this journey of discovery but these two men REALLY help push her- in good and bad ways. I enjoyed the side characters and can't wait to learn more about Hekla and Gunner. This seemed like it meandered for awhile traveling on this road, and I appreciated how Demi paced everything to "conclude" when they got to their destination. That was when everything went down. This was very reminiscent of the Fourth Wing books in that the last 100 pages were a WHIRLWIND! Everything changed so drastically so quickly. I loved the Viking mythology references and those creatures!!

Silla has only really known life with her father. So when he is murdered in front of her and the queen seems to be on the hunt for HER she goes where her father instructed her to. The only way to get there though is through the Road of Bones which is dangerous for someone such as her who has no combat experience whatsoever. Silla finds herself sneaking onto the back of a wagon after hearing where they are headed. What she doesn't realize is that the wagon is the Bloodaxe Crew's. They have a reputation. One that is very different from hers and when they find her she does what she can to survive. She offers to help and cooks. All throughout their journey she is getting closer to this crew. They are helping her learn survival skills. She is comfortable knowing she is headed in the right direction. She feels bad for deceiving them, but she wants to survive. She can't really get a read on Rey (their leader AKA Axe Eyes) but the more time she spends with him the more she learns he has secrets and she thinks she can trust him. She finds herself wanting a distraction which she finds in Jonas. She is surprised at how he is with her. He is gentle and opens up about things like he hasn't before. She feels terrible for deceiving them so decides that she will break ties when they reach Kopa. But everything changes before she can do this. The crew finds out she has been lying and that the Queen is after her. Tragedy strikes and Silla feels responsible. EVERYTHING shifts now. Betrayals occur. Rescues happen and all the while Silla keeps finding herself with more and more questions about why her father didn't tell her about any of this. What is next for her?

I found myself sitting up straighter at the last 100 pages and REALLY hoping one of my theories was wrong and then it wasn't. And though I wasn't too upset about it, I was a little heartbroken for Silla since she had not experienced true betrayal. But then MAN did her grit kick in. This girl would NOT give up. Rey becomes even more intriguing at the end. I can't wait to read more about what was unveiled about him! I was also hooked by the epilogue and that POV. I am very excited to see where this series and world goes!! Definitely recommend for a great intro story that leaves you wanting more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

"The Road of Bones" is set in the kingdom of Íseldur. This is the first book in The Ashen series, which follows Silla Nordvig as she embarks on a perilous journey along the treacherous Road of Bones. This book tackles deeper themes, exploring resilience, found family, and the consequences of one's choices. The author doesn't shy away from darker elements, presenting a brutal world that feels authentic.

While the novel may require some patience in its early chapters, the payoff is well worth it. Winters delivers surprising plot twists, emotional depth, and a satisfying blend of action and character-driven storytelling that will leave readers wanting more.

This amazing debut offers a fresh take on Viking-inspired fantasy. With its compelling characters, immersive world-building, and skillful balance of adventure and romance, it is a must-read for fans of the genre or people who are new to the genre.

I received an ARC of this book by the publisher via Netgalley in an exchange for an honest review.

The Road of Bones is a dark fantasy adventure set in a Norse-inspired world. It's being advertised as a romantasy, however I think this book fell more on the fantasy adventure side rather than the romance side. The romance definitely isn't central to the plot in this one. Going into this review there were a lot of twists that I don't want to spoil for anyone so I'm going to be pretty vague when it comes to the plot.

This book is an underrated gem and a strong debut by Winters. It's not perfect (I wish it was a tad shorter), but it has a ton going for it. It delves into deeper issues such as grief and addiction. The characters were very well fleshed out, and a handful of characters had disabilities that you don't often see in adventure books. It was great to see them being kickass adventurers, and their disabilities didn't define them as characters. I thought I had the plot figured out about halfway through, and a lot of those predictions did come true. But there were twists that I didn't see coming, and that was exciting to see. The only other thing is that this is a fantasy that takes place in a very rated R world. At the beginning of the book there's a preface with some of the trigger warnings, and this is one of those books where you should check the trigger warnings ahead of time. It's a very violent world.

I'm definitely going to pick up the second book and be continuing this series. I'm giving The Road of Bones 4 out of 5 stars.

This was fantastic. Love the Viking genre. Can’t wait to get into the second book.

Highly recommend this book. Very fast paced. The romance is so good. And the traveling storyline was so enjoyable

**The Road of Bones – 4.2 Stars**

If you’re craving a Viking-inspired romantasy with an addictive plot and sizzling romance, The Road of Bones is exactly what you need. At over 600 pages, I expected some slow moments, but I was hooked from start to finish. The balance between plot and romance was masterfully done—if you come for one without the other, you might feel the pacing is off, but together? Perfection. The slow unraveling of secrets kept me on edge, and while the worldbuilding could have been stronger, the sheer intensity of the story made up for it.

Silla, our main character, was a breath of fresh air—naïve at times but never insufferable. Her growth was a highlight, especially in the second half, where she truly came into her own. Now, let’s talk romance. Jonas? A walking red flag. The tension was hot, but his controlling nature was a hard pass. Rey, on the other hand, *chef’s kiss*. He was the perfect balance of tough and soft, treating Silla as an equal rather than someone to possess. Their slow-burn dynamic, full of tension and longing glances, was everything.

Beyond the romance, the Bloodaxe crew was a standout, bringing humor, camaraderie, and heart to the story. The battles, the eerie creatures, and the gradual reveals kept the stakes high, making this an unforgettable ride. While the magic system felt underdeveloped, it didn’t take away from the sheer fun of this book. If you love angsty romance, Viking aesthetics, and tension-filled banter, this one’s for you. Book two can’t come soon enough!

This was a surprising read for me! If you enjoyed A Fate Inked In Blood by Danielle L Jensen, this you’ll enjoy this was well.
I genuinely enjoyed our FMC Silla, I love reading an FMC who isn’t this magnificent warrior with a secret natural talent for fighting despite never having touched a weapon. I love seeing an FMC who is fearless and REAL despite their disadvantage in the world they’re born into. I love seeing an FMC work with determination and ferocity towards their goals. Silla was the star of this show. Her only negative attribute I feel was her naivety. HOWEVER, naivety forges hard lessons learned.
I am a sucked for the found family troupe so the bloodaxe crew really filled that spot well in my heart. The author really combined and executed a lot of popular tropes really well, and I would recommend this book. I will also plan on purchasing the following the novel because I NEED to know what happens next!
My only cons for this was the pacing at times. It did hit that mid book lull that a lot of books have, where it feels like nothing of importance is happening. But you gotta let the author cook, because overall I found everything satisfying ✨

Did this book reinvent the romantasy wheel? No
Was it still a good time? Yes
A common thing I find in romantasy books is inconsistent pacing with the plot. This definitely struggles with that but I enjoyed the characters and the overall plot and I'm very excited for book 2.
I think this did a good job of balancing the fantasy plot lines with the romance plot and that is one of my biggest pet peeves of romantasy books these days.

VIKINGS!?! okay, I'm hooked. I liked my romance on the run and forbidden too. The author starts out super strong and ends 100 times better it took me a while to finish this and i think thats because this could have been shorter. This reminds me of six of crows with Anastasia elements and it was very fun in some parts! Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and Netgalley!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this! The plot was really interesting and I loved all of the characters and their dynamics with each other. So excited to read the second book!

The Road of Bones has a solid foundation with impressive world-building, but it ultimately fails to deliver a satisfying story. The author puts a lot of effort into creating a detailed setting with Viking-inspired vocabulary, but many of these terms are introduced with little context, leaving the reader confused. The world-building introduces interesting ideas, but they aren’t fully explored or tied into the plot. It feels like the author focused more on creating a lexicon than on building a cohesive world.

For much of the book nothing much happens. The plot is weighed down by numerous side quests that lead nowhere, leaving loose ends and unanswered questions. The characters, though flawed and with potential for growth, never really develop. The romance feels forced and trope-y, appearing to fill the void left by the lack of plot development. What could have been an enemies-to-lovers story instead feels like a filler, disconnected from the rest of the narrative.

Despite some action in the last 10% of the book, the story fizzles out, and the ending doesn’t effectively set up a cliffhanger. There’s no resolution, and many side plots remain unfinished. The pacing and lack of progression left me uninterested in continuing with the series.

This book suffers from the seemingly more and more common trend of stretching stories into multi-book series for profit, even when there isn’t enough plot to sustain it. With its unresolved subplots and underdeveloped characters, The Road of Bones would have been more effective as a standalone. The promise of an intriguing world and characters falls flat in the execution, making it hard to recommend despite its potential.

Viking romance meets fae magic! This book was slow to a start but def picked up towards the 30% mark!

An interesting Viking-inspired fantasy filled with adventure and a unique world! The first in a series, the story follows a woman on the run from the Queen's assassins and must travel the dangerous Road of Bones and encounters a group of mercenaries.The story is a bit slow paced but the overall book was a good read! I definitely liked the slow burn romance.

I love a Viking romance! It’s refreshing in a world of fae these days. A bit slow but improved. Pretty good, just didn’t hit right to get a full five stars.

The was a amazing story , immediately need the next one please, better yet send it now 😅. The romance on this book, the character development, the magic was so amazing , the story superb. Cannot wait for the next installment