A very interesting storyline w/ different worlds & a unique magic system. It reminds me of this one movie that I’ve been wracking my brain to remember, but basically Aria & Pax see each other in their dreams- Ik there are probably a tons like it, but this was such a great romantasy take on it. Esp this slow burn w/ a forbidden romance trope? Love. Most of it was a very strong world building & heavily storyline focused, which was a great set up for Book 2 ‘cause she def left us on a cliff w/ this one!!

Entering my AL Jackson romantasy era! 💫

I’ve fallen in love with Amy’s writing the moment I read one of her books for the first time. Back then, I might not have realised I’d discovered a new favourite author, but by the time I read her second book, I was sure of it.

Considering this is a fantasy genre, and I refuse to spoiling this story, I’ll be brief with my thoughts.

Meet Aria, a sweet girl living an ordinary life by day. But when night falls and she drifts into sleep, she enters another existence—much darker and more dangerous. In this world, it’s her mission to help destroy an enemy that brings sin, chaos, and terror to everyday human world.

Thankfully in this different reality and different life of Aria’s, she isn’t fighting for the good alone. She has a family there, and more than that—her soulmate, Pax.
He will stop at nothing to protect her and keep her safe.

Pax and Aria’s connection is incredible. There was never a doubt in my mind that they were soulmates—destined to be together, created to spent an eternity side by side.
The way Pax cares for Aria, protects her, loves her… this man. ❤️

I really enjoyed the concept of this story. And honestly after talking with a friend about this book, I saw it in a whole new light. It ended up being more impactful to me than I initially expected.

Now, the ending of this book definitely left me on edge. Saying that I’m a bit (or very much) scared of what’s to come would be entirely accurate.

Still, I’m excited to see what Amy brings us in the next instalment—and hopefully, it won’t completely destroy me.

What a thrill this book is as Ms. Jackson deviates from her usual trope to bring readers a romantasy fit for the ages with Aria and Pax. The beauty of this book is the way the mind creates the scenes so while reading it feels like you are seeing everything play out as if watching a movie. In some ways, I was reminded of the film Ladyhawke meeting Escape to Witch Mountain because you have two people, Aria and Pax, who meet at night but live separate lives during the day and are on a quest to find answers. However, Aria and Pax are fated mates and their bond is strong. They are tasked with ridding the evil that infects humans created by the Kruen. Buckle up and ride this journey alongside these two dynamic characters. I cannot wait to see what the author has coming next!

🌸 🅰🆁🅲 🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆 🌸
3.75⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝘼𝙫𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 on KU and Audio🎧

I already adore A L Jackson's writing . Her time series is 😚👌 so I was very excited to see her branching into Fantasy/ Romantasy.

◇Fates mates
◇Dream Realm
◇Fighting evil creatures
◇Forbidden Love
◇Mutual pining
◇Chosen one
◇I will always come for you

This is a very unique premis , not your typical fantasy romance setting.

The basis of this being that there are evil creatures that can " talk " to normal humans and corrupt them into committing unspeakable acts. Then there are the Laven ( good guys) who work in pairs (their Nol) to fight the Kruen in a dream realm. They are taught that they have no power in the waking world and they must never seek out their other half ( Nol) in real life else it will draw the creatures them and corrupt them into harming each other.
𝙸 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙽𝚘𝚕𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗’𝚝 𝚜𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚘. 𝙰𝚜 𝚒𝚏 𝚠𝚎 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚊 𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝙻𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚋𝚎𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚞𝚜.

Battling the creatures in the dream state though does come with its own issues , even though they can't die in this realm, they can bring back with them any injury sustained.
Making it hard for a just turning 18 Aria to explain her injures to her family over the years, they don't believe her when she confesses the truth of the injures so they think she is s3lf harming. This leads to her parents committing her against her will into a mental facility and forcing the hand of her Nol to make contact.

“𝙼𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚗𝚘 𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎, 𝙸 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚔 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚏*𝚌𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚛𝚞𝚕𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚊𝚏𝚎.”


The yearning here is absolutely delightful , nothing beats a good Forbidden love. I'm looking forward to the next instalment to find out what's in store for these two.

Thank you to @valentine_pr_
And @netgalley for my arc copy 🥰

“It wasn’t like being reborn. It was realizing why I was born in the first place.” “You were the truth inside me when I never knew what was real. My hope. The hollow place inside that only you could fill,” she whispered.


Aria and Pax are meant to fight against the evils of the world, together. Living between two realms, and having to keep the one place they meet secret.
As Aria falls into trouble Pax can feel it, he knows she needs him. As forbidden as it may be to see each other in the real world he can’t stop himself. He must find her, his soulmate, and protect her. With Aria’s powers become more than either of them imagined possible, the Kruen begin hunting her. They must stop this evil before it’s too late. But can they keep fighting this pull to one another that echoes in the deepest parts of themselves?


I absolutely loved the idea of this other world where people are fighting the nasty evil that plants seeds into our vulnerable human minds. Putting a face to that evil was very interesting. The battles Aria and Pax face are so very real and intense, showing how dark the Kruen can be when planting their evil.
At first I thought the story was going to end on a high note and was thinking it was a light hearted ending, it got ripped away! The cliffhanger had me yelling at my kindle, seriously. 😐

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC. Can’t wait for book 2!!! I need more of Pax and of course Aria 😏

This story is unlike anything I have personally read so far. I'm actually still trying to wrap my head around it and understand it more. It's very intriguing and confusing at the same time.

I liked both Pax and Aria. But I was more drawn to Pax and his dark side yet his compulsion to save the innocent. I also loved his true devotion to Aria and the fact that no matter what he was thought or what he promised she came first. His love for her was strong and true.

Aria was an interesting character. I loved her but also wasn't a big fan. She loved her family completely but didn't seem to think first when it came to them. It was Pax who helped her keep her thoughts straight. Her strength and power was amazing and I would love to learn more.. I have a feeling we'll get that chance.

I'm still waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop (as Ellis keeps warning them) but I'm truly hoping it won't. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more and getting a better understanding for these Laven's.

*I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review*

Forbidden Mate

Different realms, double lives and the fate of their worlds what more can you ask for in a fantasy romance? While this story captures your attention, the end leaves you anxious for another installment. Forbidden love between Aria and Pax keeps them from meeting in the waking realm but their connection draws them towards each other despite the danger that follows. The world building and character development added an element of suspense and intrigue. It was an interesting premise, and I hope to continue find out what will come next in another book.

I received an ARC of this book and voluntarily leave this review.

An AL Jackson contemporary fantasy?! Color me intrigued! I was super excited to dive into Visions of Darkness and even more excited to get my hands on the audio- Teddy Hamilton playing a fantasy protector? YAS. AL brings her trademark angst emotion and intense chemistry to a forbidden romance that takes place in two realms- as we follow the journey of two magical protectors who quite literally slay evil thoughts. It’s immersive and unique- and a solid start to a series that could be quite addictive.

The premise of this was creative- a bit of a sandman type dream walking vibe but with dragon slayer vibes, if, of course, you slay the tangible representation of darkness/evil. Heroine Aria is a high schooler trapped between both worlds. In her human world, she’s an outsider in her own family who can’t make meaning of the life she says she lives at night. They make assumptions about her mental health and do harmful things to her with good intentions- like having her committed for what they see as self-harm. She’s isolated and judge by her own family, and gah I felt that it in my bones.

But her other being is equally isolating. She’s a Laven, and in a dream state she goes to Faydor in Tearsith where she fights Kruens (kind of dark thinking) with their partners called Nols. Nols protect and fight with Lavens, but they can only interact and be together in Tearsith - which is hard for Aria since she’s madly in love with her protector Nol, Pax. He longs for her too but he knows they can never be together- until Aria finds herself in grave danger in the mortal realm and Pax breaks all rules to save her.

Truth be told, I’m not a huge heavy fantasy person, and this one seemed more light touch. And, it was. So much so that I’m not even quite sure I fully understand it- information is pretty heavily laid at the outset and then from there most of the story is in the human world with a monster hunting them. It doesn’t FEEL very fantasy because so much of it is just them on the run and Aria having intrusive thoughts that are basically her hearing darkness trying to harm others. On one hand, the diet-fantasy lover in me appreciated that, on the other I found the world building to be a bit lacking. The characters, the other realm, the monsters themselves were not heavily described or constructed. I found myself at the end feeling like I still didn’t quite understand this world…and a huge part of that is that they spend very little time in it, with the focus monster on what ARia hears and the forbidden nature of their dynamic.

Narratively, there are also some interesting choices I think some may not enjoy. Because the worlds themselves are super clearly delineated in terms of how our characters experience them, AL uses 3rd person POV for one and first for the other. I think it’s a clever and interesting narrative choice, though I’m not quite sure how effective. I think in text it might work better- for audio it was a little disorienting.

But, the characters and the action itself are great though. I do think the pace felt a bit slow in place, but it takes a minute for these to truly end up in the same space, and the burn is even lower from there. I had calibrated my expectations to this being more like AL’s other works in terms of spice and romantic progression…and that was not the case at all. This definitely reads and feels much more like YA- especially Aria’s perspective. She turns 18 in the book and is really inexperienced- both in relationships but also as a functioning adult in both worlds. So, I had to recalibrate my orientation to this story, and once I did and started to consider it a YA, I was able to sink into the story more.

There is lots of angst, Pax and Aria definitely have that forbidden but sweet/innocent longing vibe, and Pax is utterly delicious as protective and possessive book boyfriend. The relational side of this story really excelled, it’s more the fantasy dynamic that I wanted a bit more developed. I'm not even confident I explained it correctly in this review because it still feels so hazy to me. At this point, truthfully, the fantasy element and plotline itself I’m not quite invested in, but I am all in on these teenage angst.

I do think I'd enjoy this more on audio, and those a bit more finicky about their fantasy might not find the world building worth the squeeze.

There is a cliffhanger, and I’m invested enough in Pax and Aria as characters to want to dive into the next (hopefully with the same narration). Definitely curious to see where AL will go from here!

I could not stop listening to the audiobook!! I was so intrigued, wanting to know that's going to happen next. That ending though?! ⁣
⁣
Aria and Pax are in two worlds, one when they're dreaming and reality. When Aria's dream world collides with her reality and danger comes after her, she has no choice but to survive. Pax was her fated mate in the dream world, but in reality, he's not. He's forbidden to get together with her in reality, but he went against it and helped her. What's going to happen when danger chases them everywhere? And there's a possibility that them being together in reality can cause them to die? ⁣
⁣
You guys heard it lots of time. I'm someone who loves a protective hero so I immediately love Pax. Lol I swooned so many times. I do have to say, it's definitely a slow burn. The beginning was quite slow for me, but when I got into it, I couldn't stop listening to the audiobook. ⁣
⁣
If you're debating if you should read it because you're not a romantasy girl, don't be scared. It's romantasy set in the modern times so there's not a lot of words that will be confusing. 🥰

WOW. JUST WOW. I am totally blown away by this book!

I did not read the synopsis prior to reading this book because I feel like they give too much of the story away. I'm glad I avoided it because I feel like going in blind really blew my mind!

For that reason, I don't want to say too much other than this is a dark romantasy that follows a young FMC (17-18) and MMC (22), with lots of plot and character building, a little spice, and found family, and I could not put it down!

This story was unlike anything I've ever read before. The "magic" and storyline are remarkable and merge seamlessly with the real world in a way that is pretty terrifying! I found myself being pulled in and questioning reality at times and had to remind myself that I was reading a fiction book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and it's cannot get my hands on the next one soon enough. I'm going to need all of the special editions, please and thank you!

*Mental Health Note*
If you have ever suffered from psychosis or delusions, I recommend proceeding with caution- this book might be quite triggering.

Visions of Darkness releases on January 7th so get ready! Come back here after you read it and tell me what you think!

Thank you @valentine for providing me with a copy of this book! These opinions are my own and given freely

this is one of my very first romantasy books that I have ever read! and first off, I love Amy's writing and I was so excited to see that she was writing a romantasy. I had no expectations going into this since I don't usually read this genre, but I have to say that I really liked this one. once the romance set in I really got into it and it really kept me on my toes. I liked Aria and Pax- I love the "it's always been you" trope and I think that this was done very well in this book. there were a lot of twists and turns in this one and it had me engaged. I definitely finished it wanting more and am curious to see if there is more to come!

read if you like:
- romantasy
- fated mates
- suspense
- it's always been you

This was so much fun! I was excited but nervous for this book. It is such a change from what I’m used to from A.L. Jackson. But it was so good! The change from 1st to 3rd person POV was so interesting. I loved how it distinguished between dream vs reality.

Pax and Aria have been bound together by their souls. Their bond and the way they grew together was beautiful!

That ending 🤯 I can’t wait for the next book!

3.5⭐️
2.75🌶️

This was a tough one to rate for me. I really enjoyed the fantasy elements, I truly have never read something like this before. It was super interesting! However, I didn't expect there to be spice in a book with an 18 year old and I just didn't like that. I loved the romance between Pax and Aria. The pull between them was tangible but, with an 18 year old, it should have been fade to black. I just skipped over those parts. I do still want to read the next one, that was a massive cliff hanger!! But I will be skipping the spice in that one too and wishing it wasn't there.

Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for the review copy.

This was such a fun read and a great concept. Intrusive thoughts are actually evil spirts/creatures and there is a secret society of people who fight them in sleep. I was so captivated by this idea and that everyone in the daytime world thought our FMC was insane. I really loved the connection between our two main characters and I really hope we get another book that goes deeper into the mystery of why they are told they cannot be together.

I knocked my rating down a tad only because it read a bit more upper YA in the beginning. Overall though, I really enjoyed this book.

"I think you're beautiful. And if I dreamed, I would dream of you."

Ooooo the dangers of this dark romantasy left me breathless as Aria and Pax fought against them every day of their journey while denying their attraction. I loved how unique this story was, and how Pax didn't hesitate to cross realms to save her despite the risk of everything. I loved the magic system and respected the author for bringing awareness to issues such as suicide and mental health.

A fantastic story I won't soon forget!

I absolutely loved Aria and Pax’s story. I can’t even begin to explain how entranced I was with everything throughout- from their time in Faydor, to binding Kruen in Tearsith, to their lives apart that eventually came together on Earth! It was unlike anything I have ever read. I loved the suspense, the adventure, and especially the unmistakable bond that the two of them have. There’s heartbreak, struggle, and anger, but the love Aria and Pax share can be felt beyond that. I loved Aria and Pax’s characters both so much and am amazed at the strength they each possessed to overcome so much darkness. Also, can I just say that Pax is a dream?? The amount of love, care, and support he had for Aria even before they met while awake was overwhelming in the best ways. Overall, definitely a unique story that held my attention and made me fall in love with another fictional character 💖

I found the concept of this world and story incredibly interesting! It definitely felt unique and fresh. I liked how the FMC was both strong and vulnerable at the same time. The MMC was definitely giving morally gray vibes. The dual POV definitely helped me connect better with the main characters so that was great! I also liked the character developments seen throughout the story. The writing style was enjoyable and the story easy to follow with a slower steady pace with still action packed scenes.

I did find that i would have liked to see and know more about this unique world, but the story mainly focused on the real world and the other dimention stayed out as a bit of a mystery for me. Perhaps we get more in the future books? I think there would have been so much potential in the concept of the story but i felt like something was missing, but i do realize its only book 1.

Thank you to the author, VPR ARCS & Netgalley for an advanced reader copy. All thoughts are my own.

4 ⭐️ | 1 🌶️

A.L. Jackson did the dang thing with her romantasy debut!! 👏🏼 This story was so incredibly unique and I cannot wait to see where this series takes us 😍.

🖤 Romantasy
🩷 Fated mates
🖤 Morally Grey MMC
🩷 One bed
🖤 On the run
🩷 V!rgin FMC

Synopsis: Every night when Aria goes to sleep, she goes to an alternate realm called Faydor where she fights evil behinds called Kruens (who influence humans’ thoughts and get them to do terrible things) with her Nol (mate) Pax. When Aria fights in this realm, she gets hurt and wakes up wounded. Her parents assume she is self h@rming, and admit her to a psychiatric facility. When she finds herself in danger, Pax knows he must break the number 1 rule set, and go meet her in real life so he can rescue her.

I LOVED this plot!!! It is such a truly unique storyline and gave me the same hyped up feeling that I got while watching Stranger Things. The main word that keeps coming to mind is unique. It was a different magic system than I’ve read before, and I loved the premise of the kruen influencing people to do bad, and that the H/h can actually witness this and fight them in a different universe, where they can’t in the human realm.

Aria and Pax’s characters were so great. They both have this shared experience and relationship since they’ve been seeing each other in their sleep for years. But then they meet in person and it’s a whole different ballgame. I love the protectiveness from Pax and also from Aria. Neither character has had someone to take care of them before (not in the right ways) and seeing them find that in each other was so special.

🌶️ This was a slooooooow burn (it’s also important to remember this is the first book of a romantasy series where the focus is primarily world and character building). The TENSION and PINING were absolutely amazing. I loved the push and pull, will they won’t they aspect of this slow burn!

Also worth noting - this story switches between 1st and 3rd person. When the characters are in Faydor, it’s in 3rd. When they’re in the human realm, it’s 1st. I loved this! It made it easier to distinguish what was happening and where they were at.

⚠️ Please check TWs. As mentioned above, the Kruen influence human to do bad things (child @buse, attempted SA, domestic @buse, etc.)

Thank you so much to A.L. Jackson and Valentine PR for the arc of Visions Of Darkness in exchange for my honest opinion! 🖤

I absolutely devoured this one!! I love A.L Jackson Romance novels so I had a feeling I’d love this one too but I was not prepared for how much I actually enjoyed it!

The actual plot and fantasy element I thought were so original, I haven’t read anything quite like it before! It was however the writing style that I enjoyed the most, the way that when they were in the ‘real world’ Amy wrote in first person then switched to third when the characters were in Laven.

The aspect of being fated mates in one realm but unable to be together in another was so fascinating! I thought Pax was incredible, I hated that he’d had such a horrible childhood and it was evident that he’d been alone for so long, I thought the way that his and Aria’s bond was shown as a force so strong they could feel each other when they shouldn’t be able to really made you fall for them as a couple!

My heart broke for Aria, to be so misunderstood by those she loved more than anything! She was the opposite to Pax in many ways but still this just emphasised how right they were for each other!!

I was on the edge of my seat through the whole book and couldn’t wait to see what happened next!! Amy’s first Romantasy was a sure hit for me!

Aria finds herself living two lives which must not intersect. Her days unfold as they would for any person, but the nights take her on an adventure where she enters a different land and is responsible for helping to protect those she cares about.

Pax is her soulmate when it comes to her second life, but he can not be part of her daily life as the consequences could be dire. He was able to honor the boundaries until she needed his help and once that happens life as they know it will never be the same.

The characters draw you in and the connection they share is deep and enduring. The storyline is distinctive and leaves us wanting to know what the future holds for this couple.