I wish this book had done it for me - the premise seemed great and the plot seemed interesting, but unfortunately I struggled to get through it.
I wish the author all the success and hope that maybe her next book will be more to my taste.

Vibes: Detailed and immersive high fantasy with mages, necromancers, dragons and a FMC in her 30s. 🙌

Pros: awesome world-building, action packed, unique magic system, more plot based than romance based but good amount of spice mixed in, many different magical creatures that I don’t see in books very often, cool Slavic mythology elements

Cons: took me a while to get hooked, maybe a few slow spots but don’t most books have these?

Fav tropes:
Stabby FMC 🔪
Slow burn ❤️‍🔥
Why choose 💅
Touch her and ☠️
Reverse harem 💞
Dominatrix ⛓️
Banter 😏
Dragons 🐉
Impending War ⚔️
Magic 🔮
Magical creatures 🐦‍🔥
Hidden identity 🤐
Forced proximity 🚪
Evil King 👑
Different realms/planes 🗺️

Fav quote:
“If it wasn't already clear enough, anyone who touches my lady with malicious intent will lose their hands, eyes, and tongue before I grant them the mercy of death.”

#oathofbetrayal #olenanikitin #epichighfantasy #romantasy #bookstagram #netgalley

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this book!

The cliff hanger on this one will devastate you.

Really enjoyed this book, the world building was well thought through and presented so well i felt informed.

I have to admit the beginning 4 chapters were a little bit of struggle to get me hooked, no spoilers but it is a credit to the author that I cared from the get go about the characters on the page even though I was barely into the first twenty pages.

The supporting characters hold their own and draw you in just as much as the mains.

I have never read a why choose, and this definitely made me want to explore the style further.

I loved the main characters they had substance and I was invested in the relationships.

This really left me wanting more and I can’t wait to continue the tale.

what a gripping, high-stakes fantasy! Annika’s journey from hiding to becoming a powerful weapon is intense and emotional. With dragons, dark fae necromancers, and a brewing war, the stakes couldn’t be higher.The tension between Annika and the Lord Commander keeps you hooked, while the dragon’s bond adds heart and magic. If you love fierce heroines, magical battles, and wild twists, this is a must-read!

3.5✨

Oath of betrayal starts amazing as we pretty much jump into a fight scene which was very interesting, but at the same time little confusing I thought I missed a few things in the beginning, but after rereading a few times I understood what was going on. I loved the world building of this book. it was so fun getting into the Slavic mythology as well as magic, dragons, monsters, and soul bonds. unfortunately, the pacing in this book was not for me, especially in the beginning, but I did slowly start to enjoy it towards the end.

I love triangle in this book was great and it did keep me intrigued. The chemistry was amazing. The author did a really good job writing the characters and the romance in this book. Ani was definitely the highlight for me. She is such a strong, bad ass FMC especially when it comes to her magic and her abilities. I also loved how you genuinely wanted to help people. she carried herself very well, and it was such a joy reading about her. Alaric and Orm were also very well written characters. Orm very cold commander but when it comes to Ani he is a sweetheart. Alaric is a tortured soul. He is also very funny and I want to know so much more about him

overall, this was a very great book and I would recommend it to anyone who loves a wife choose fantasy romance with a sprinkle of magic, dragons, monsters, and soul bonds with very great world building. I will definitely be continuing to read the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC!

From the very first page this book drew me in. Nikitin has a way with words that seems almost musical and magical and it completely sucks you in. This story is unique and who doesn't love a book with dragons, magic, and danger. I loved the combination of epic fantasy, spice, and beautiful world building.

Fantasy
The Broken Bonds #1
Spicy
Multiple love interests
Dragons
Cliff-hanger


After the loss of her anchors, Annika decides to fake her own death. The death of the men bonded to her to anchor her magic leaves her in constant heartache. She refuses to ever bond with anyone again. Her quiet life is shattered when she is discovered by a dark mage who is eager to anchor her.

This is a series worth starting. I cannot wait for book 2 as this left us on an epic cliff-hanger.
If you enjoy a good fantasy romance with some dark elements, multiple love interests and a dragon then this is definitely the book for you.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a free advanced copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for this e-arc.

I really wanted to live this book and I was so excited for it.
Unfortunately I just wasn’t what I hoped it would be.

I love the writing in this book and I really enjoyed Annika’s journey and the characters you meet along the way.

The world building is probably what I was struggling with in this book. I was so confused and just felt like it was a lot to take in.

The glossary at the end of the book did however make a huge difference for me and really helped me understand some things better.

Even though i didn’t love the book I still enjoyed it and I will probably continue this series.

The premise of this book was quite interesting, however it failed to captivate my attention.

I really liked the idea of a mage so powerful that bounds are needed, I loved the dragon, I liked many scenes, but I feel like many things could have been improved. One thing that I didn't really like was the love triangle; it felt a bit forced, especially since one character is a bit uncomfortable with the idea, and to be honest while I understand that the process could get very intimate, I feel like this much was not needed for the story to be a great story. That did affect the relationships between the characters and I feel like at times a friendship (from both of them) would have been so much better. Maybe if they didn't evolve so fast (for me at least) it could have been better. Another issue I had with this book was the fact that the main character (and others as well) was not well defined and changed her personality quite fast. Lastly, I want to add that "keeping her inside to protect her" is always unpleasant, but at least he ended up realizing the mistake and apologizing.

Look, I liked the book most of the time, but this things really bugged me. Would I give the next volume a try? Yes. Would I recommend this book? Maybe, but it really depends on what the person wants to read.

I have been provided with a review copy of this title from NetGalley for an impartial review. This was just a great read. I was just drawn in to this story so thoroughly. I just had so much fun reading this story.

DNF @287 pages.

A why choose fantasy romance (with dragons), so this was supposed to be a fun, exciting, and intense (romance ?)— what I was expecting based on the synopsis, but it didn't give any of that at all.

This is the 2nd work from the author that disappointed me.

Anyway, I do not think the world building here was that great. It lacks the intricacies of fantastical depths, in my opinion.

Although the characters were interesting, the developments and how the romance played here deeply ruined it all for me.

I couldn't for the mercy of me to continue it, so I had to DNF it. Obviously, I will not be continuing this series. This is just not for me 🙈.

The writing also greatly failed me. It also lacked the compelling qualities.

Thank you, author, for the e-arc opportunity via Netgalley.


—---


Release Date: September 12, 2024
Date Read: September 19- September 23, 2024
Ratings: 1.5⭐️

The story follows Annika 'Ani' Diavellar who has been living in hiding as Annika Jaksa for the last decade, because of the Lost Ridge incident, consumed by grief for her anchors, whose deaths have shaped every aspect of her existence. But to the world, Annika is believed to have died alongside her two anchors, Arno and Talmund, in a wlok. Fast forward to the present day, she is the acting town mage who protects the village from the terrible demons. When the threat of the Lich King arises, she and her new anchors must defeat him.

Annika is a fiery and multifaceted mage, brimming with power and resilience, and her sass and wit are spot-on! I loved seeing Ani's healing journey, it was raw and emotional, she overcame her feelings about her past and she learned to trust and love again.

Lord Ormond or 'Orm', the dragon-riding Commander, embodies bravery, duty, and loyalty, with a possessive edge that makes it fun to watch when mixed with Ani’s unpredictable nature. They really balanced each other out! I liked how his character developed, seeing his vulnerabilities and how he embraced change and new connections. I liked how he was with both Ani and Alaric.

Alaric or 'Ari' is a dark fae mage with necromancer powers, burdened by a painful past and a hidden curse. He was one of my favourite characters! It was heartbreaking to see what he's been through; scorned and rejected because of his heritage and powers, all while longing for a bond of his own. I couldn't help but feel for him! I hope we get to know more about him in the next book!

I loved the soul bond between Ari and Orm and the evolving bond between all three characters was both intense and heartwarming.

Rating: ★★★★
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Author: Olena Nikitin
Page count: 471
Publication date: September 12, 2024

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭
✨𝚆𝚑𝚢 𝙲𝚑𝚘𝚘𝚜𝚎
✨𝙵𝚘𝚛𝚌𝚎𝚍 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚡𝚒𝚖𝚒𝚝𝚢
✨𝙼𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚞𝚖 𝙱𝚞𝚛𝚗
✨𝙳𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚘𝚗𝚜
✨𝙱𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛
✨𝙱𝚊𝚍𝚊𝚜𝚜 𝙵𝙼𝙲
✨𝙶𝚛𝚞𝚖𝚙𝚢 𝙼𝙼𝙲'𝚜
✨𝚂𝚕𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚌 𝙼𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚢
✨𝙲𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚡 𝙼𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚌 𝚂𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚖 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙴𝚡𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍-𝙱𝚞𝚒𝚕𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐

"𝐼 𝓌𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝑔𝒾𝓋𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓂𝓎 𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝓂𝓎 𝒻𝒾𝓇𝑒, 𝓂𝓎 𝓂𝒶𝑔𝒾𝒸 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓂𝓎 𝓁𝒾𝒻𝑒. 𝒥𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓎 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝓂𝑒. 𝐼 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝒹𝓌𝑒𝓁𝓁 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝒶𝓇𝓀 𝒶𝑔𝒶𝒾𝓃."

𝐎𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐥 is the first book in 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓑𝓻𝓸𝓴𝓮𝓷 𝓑𝓸𝓷𝓭𝓼 series. Olena wrote a story that felt like I was stepping into a world that felt both familiar and entirely new. This story was packed full of powerful magic, slavic mythology (which I haven't read before) and emotional character growth. I love reading fantasy books where the main character goes on this long but incredible journey of finding one's self and going through trials. Reading how they start on page one and seeing them grow until the last page is one of my favorite things to read.

𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐤𝐚 is one of those characters where you just root for her from the beginning. Her vulnerability and her grief and fear of being controlled again felt SO real. But don't be mistaken....Annika is a badass and just because she shows us her vulnerable side doesn't mean she doesn't have a defiant side as well. The relationships between her and the men can be complicated- there's a push and pull as she wrestles with her feelings and her need for independence. The slow-burn was just at the right pace for me, it didn't feel rushed or forced. The emotional stakes are high in this book because it's not just about love, it's about survival and trust.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 couple chapters took me a little bit to get into just because I felt like there was a lot going on and I didn't know exactly what was happening but after that it was easy for me to know what was going on.

𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 recommend this book to anyone who loves a good fantasy story that has a good balance of magic, romance, action and personal growth. The ending left me wanting to read book 2!

This book was so enjoyable once it got going. I will admit that it took me a bit to be able to immerse myself in the world, but once I did, I was set. I could not tell that this was written by two authors until I read it at the conclusion. The style remained consistant and captivating throughout.

I appreciated that this was equal-parts story and development. Both the story and the character development seemed realistic and appropriate for the parameters set in the world. I loved the banter and even when time passed and the reader wasn't privvy to the specifics, I still believed that those conversations were just as witty and creative as the others.

Pacing was great, word choice was wonderful, worldbuilding and magic system believable, and plot was surprising and original. The only critique I could offer is that sometimes the dialogue would get a bit confusing since mulitple lines were included in the same paragraph making me occassionally go back and try to piece the order of who was speaking.

I thorougly enjoyed this book and the adventure it took me on. I felt like I was part of the story and every character was different and important. When I said I was waiting for a book to leave me on the edge of my seat, Oath of Betrayal accomplished this. Can't wait to read the next installment!!

An incredible Epic High stakes Fantasy, Why choose romantasy overflowing with unique magic, cleaver banter and absolutely soul crushing heartbreak all intertwined with Slavic mythology.

The story throws you head first into one of the most intense scenarios to unfurl, leading with rich imaginative descriptions, easily illuminating the world behind your eyes.

We are told the story through three main points of view, centring around Annika Diavellar ( ' Ani ' ) FMC ,  Alaric'va Shen'ra ( ' Ari ' ) &  Ormond Erenhart ( - Orm ' )

Each incredibly powerful in their own right and each, whose magic soughts each other's.

Ani is in her 30s and this one small detail made her all the more relatable, it was incredibly refreshing having such a strong, capable woman at the forefront who had loved, lost and lived all before meeting her two new partners.

Delving through heartbreak, Ani's story claws through the rough scarred layers of hope, joy and love as she navigates the pain of loosing her first two partners in a heartbreaking battle that ended in sacrifice. After the pain of loosing not just one, but two pieces of her soul, Ani fakes her own death, hiding away from the world for 10years, slowly healing herself and her heart.

Ari and Orm are the MMC leads and after stumbling upon Ani while they were trying to push back evil forces that threatened their Kings land, they quickly realised Ani was a conduit mage for their magical abilities, but not just a conduit mage, the LAST conduit mage and in time, the object of the Linch Kings desires, making her wanted for her magical abilities.

With such an incredible pull between each of the main characters, it doesn't take long for the sexual tension to start seeping into their story. It's definitely a slow burn romance that thrives on witty banter and * almost * moments..

There are so many incredible layers to this story, with each of them having their own vices, Ani's healing is spoken about with great respect and relatability. It's not just brushed under the rug, it's there in the folds of the pages, underlying every decision, but not controlling it.

With the beauty of magic, dragons and dragon riders, Slavic mythology and the undead, this story also pulses with life, love, loss.. healing and above all else, hope.

A truly beautiful story and I can't wait to see what comes next!!

There is a cliffhanger!! Be aware!

Unfortunately DNF at 47%

I really wanted to love this book I loved the premise dragons, mages and romance. And I did love the FMC at the beginning she was snarky and strong and independent.

However once the MMC or the two I started to lose interest. They were one dimensional and there POVs felt very stilted and stiff. The FMC personality seemed to completely change once she met them as well going from a hard drinking mage having one night stands to blushing and being awkward at flirting.

Stars are given though for dragon and if being a good premise.

Oath of Betrayal
By Olena Nikitin
Via NetGalley

4.5 ⭐ 3 🌶️

Tropes:
Forced Proximity • Why choose • Touch her and ☠️ • Multiple POV

Main Characters:
Anika (Ani) • Ormond (Orm) • Alaric (Ari)

Stand out lines/quotes:
Anika - “Not a stallion. A bear, my Ursus.
I want to goad you. I want you to lose control and unleash the beast whose eyes burn with yellow fire. You are mine, Ormond Erenhart. Accept my bond”
Orm - “I care for you, Nivale. I have tried to fight it, but I can't help how I feel around you. You bring peace into my mind and laughter into my life.”
Ari - “You taste like the sweetest plum wine. Hrae! I wish I could devour you ... Anchor you…”

My Thoughts:
I loved the magic system and the world building in this book. It’s definitely an angsty slow burn but all the build up is so worth it! This book is giving Fourth Wing meets These Hollow Vows but with a little extra something. I had a great time reading this. It was definitely what I was expecting and I cannot wait for the next book!

This book was provided to me my Olena Nikitin and NetGalley for my honest review and opinion.

Oath of Betrayal by Olena Nikitin is such an amazing epic romantasy filled to the brim with fantastic world-building, a unique magical system, and drool-worthy characters (full illustrations throughout the book). The main female character, Annika, is a fierce mage that can handle everything life has thrown at her and then some. She has a very traumatic past of lost lovers and the trauma that comes from that, but to me, she is very relatable and likable. In the beginning, she doesn’t trust herself to trust others but once our two MMCs enter her life she begins to change her views.

Both MMCs, Ormond and Alaric, are headstrong and possessive of Annika and that leads us to the “Why Choose” romance. While usually, I’m not a huge fan of this trope I think that Nikitin did an amazing job making it a fun aspect of the story and I liked it very much. If you like slow-burn steamy spice you’ll definitely want to check out this book! I loved both MMCs mainly because their main character aspects were the opposite of each other. Ormond being a dragon rider with a monster caged inside and Alaric being the calm but mysterious dark fae necromancer made it hard to pick a favorite so I adopted the who choose theme and love them both.

Overall, Olena Nikitin wove together an alluring, enchanting, and unputdownable epic romantasy and I can not wait to get my hands on book 2!

Honestly I really loved this book! I don’t normally read why choose and at first I just kept wanting to root for one guy but by the end I honestly was okay with both of them and loved that for her. I loved the dragons, magic system, the world building!! Amazing!! I think the dragons (specifically Vahin!!) were my absolute favorite thing!! I thought the plot was great and that ending!! That cliffhanger hit me like a brick wall dude. I definitely want to read book 2 because I need answers!! I need to know how certain things go!! The characters blended together beautifully imo even with their crazy differences. They each have their identity but together they just fit. Also the SPICE. Like it wasn’t the dirtiest I’ve read but it’s definitely more than just a romance 😂 I didn’t mind it but yk, if you don’t like spice this isn’t the book for you.

I gave it four stars because just the why choose felt a little forced at times (specially between the two men, but also it made sense to me a little as well? Like it was always there just not acted on? Idk maybe I’m just making excuses) but I also just felt like something was missing or off. I definitely loved the book though and see it being a fan favorite for people who love why choose fantasy books 👀

Another note, the trigger warnings are in the back of the book. I’m not sure why but I luckily I didn’t need them, but if you do make sure to look them up or go to the back and see them before reading!! I did read it on my kindle though so I’m not sure how it is in paperback!!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC and I’ll be waiting for book 2 🫣😏

⭐ - 4.5/5 - ⭐

Annika is a powerful conduit mage, grieving the loss of her anchors. To prevent her power from being controlled, she fakes her death and hides away. When the Commander of the Dragon Riders, Ormund, his dragon Vahin, and the dark fae necromancer he calls 'brother', Alaric, stumble upon her over a decade later, it seems like their wish to find a weapon powerful enough to defeat the Lich King has been answered. Under the protection of Ormund, Vahin, and Alaric, within the walls of their failing city, Annika must chose to become who she was destined to be and help them defeat the evil permeating their boarders, or watch those she has come to love be destroyed.

✦ Epic Fantasy
✦ Why choose?
✦ M/F/M
✦ Slow burn
✦ Touch her and die
✦ Dragons
✦ Mate bond
✦ Cliffhanger

⚠️ - Grief, loss, death
🌶️ - 2.5/5
💕 - 3.5/5
👥 - 4.5/5
🌎 - 5/5
🗡️ - 3/5
💀 - 2/5

I finished reading this book last night and let me tell you what, I had to let that one stew for a bit. If I had run here to write a review immediately after finishing the last page, my review would have been FULL OF CAPS AND EXCLAMATION POINTS...but now that I've let it settle, I feel like I can manage a thoughtful, semi professional review...maybe.

This is the first book I've ever read by this author(s) and let me tell you, I'm about to fill my Kindle with their WHOLE catalog. The writing style, the pacing, the world building, the character dialogue...I love it so much! Oath of Betrayal was a wild ride. We witnessed loss, grief, love, humor, action, horror, and SO much more.

Annika is an extremely powerful mage, who knows it. She is badass, snarky, cocky, and can hold her own. I love the fact that she is over the age of 30 through most of the book. It's super rare to find a book like this where the FMC isn't a spritely 20 something. I related to Annika in so many ways and loved her sass throughout the whole book. I will say that sometimes her brat-titude could be a bit much, and found myself groaning with frustration a couple times at her decision making, but honestly, that made her so much more relatable.

Ormund...*sigh* He is a brute of a man, a warrior, with a cinnamon roll heart. He protects Annika from the beginning, much to her chagrin. His relationship with Vahin and Alaric is so great. You can tell that they all have love for one another and it just makes my heart so happy. While Orm has a little problem with jealousy at the beginning, his love of his 'brothers' makes him change his tune after a while.

Alaric...Alaric, Alaric, Alaric. My sweet, damaged little dark fae. He's probably one of the more interesting characters, second to Annika. He's hated for who he is and cursed to feel the pain of his promises. However, through all of that he manages to make Orm and Annika smile and feel loved. He's incredibly powerful and I have a feeling we didn't get to see what he's truly capable of in this book. I hope the author(s) give us a big showdown at some point.

Vahin is just a big softy. He's badass, don't get me wrong, but a total marshmallow with Annika...unless she puts herself in danger.

While there was some spice that was REAL spicy, the tension is what makes it all worth it. I liked that sexy times wasn't the sole focus of the characters, and when it was, there was a purpose for it.

I only have a couple gripes about the book. One is use of the word 'pearl' when referring to the cl*t. That made me cringe hard. Second is the over use of time jumps. They were only days at a time, but honestly it felt like important stuff happened during that time, mostly character development, but I kind of hated that we didn't get to witness it.

Overall, this book was EPIC! I am thrilled that I got to read it and will most likely read it again before the second book comes out because cliffhanger left me screeching!

Thank you #netgalley and #victoryediting for the ARC of this book!