Thanks to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing for this digital ARC of "Broken Souls and Bones" by LJ Andrews!

Let me start by saying, LJ is a top author for me. Her ability to craft intricate and unique magic systems and worlds will never cease to amaze me. This story sets itself apart from the authors other series, while still having the elements of her writing we know and love.

Roark, our brooding MMC that we just have to love and Lyra, a spit fire FMC that's ready to keep him on his toes. I loved the way Andrews weaves moments and scenes from their pasts into the present. Roark and Lyra's dynamic was a bit reminiscent of Kase and Malin from The Broken Kingdoms series for me. And they're my all-time fav couple, SO! I love Lyra and Roark :).

I loved how Andrews carves out moments for us to connect and fall for all of the supporting characters as well. It makes you feel like you're a part of the story.

What to expect:
-> enemies to lovers
-> bodyguard
-> forced proximity
-> morally grey MMC
-> badass FMC
-> fated mates

The only reason this isn't five stars is because I was left with a few questions/some confusion around certain aspects of the story. I think that confusion would likely all get cleared up as the series continues!

Thank you so much to LJ Andrews, NetGalley, Ace and Berkley for this ARC! 🫶🏻

GUYS. I stand on what I preach to everyone: anything that LJ touches turns to gold. Everything she writes comes to live and takes you on a whirlwind of an adventure. She keeps you guessing and makes you think and question even yourself while reading and I LOVE when an author is challenging like that with their writing.

Let’s start off with saying: every book I read- I love to write down my theories I develop along the way. Some of them have evidence and facts backing them up and some of them I think “hmmm, what could really shock us as readers” because I feel like we are trained to expect the unexpected 🤪 well, I had a nice little checklist and Y’ALL. Every single one was right!!! There’s no explaining the satisfaction and amount of giddiness I had at that.

This book was absolute perfection. It had me totally immersed. I’ve been a huge fan of LJ for almost a year now and I was so excited to hear how she was exploring a new world and even more so when she got picked up by a publisher for it! It’s been so exciting to be a member of her street team and I feel so honored to have been able to read this ARC.

Lyra and Roark were absolutely perfect and everything that I hoped they would be. I was completely obsessed with them from the beginning. I loved that there was sign language representation in this book! I’ve only read one book before where the MMC used sign language and it’s always refreshing to see that representation - which I think LJ wrote beautifully.

Roark was so swoon worthy. I don’t think I’ve met a single man that LJ has written that I DIDN’T love and Roark was definitely up there in my favorites (don’t worry, Daddy Kase is still holding the number one spot forever and always hehehe)

Lyra was simply stunning. I loved getting to know her and who she was as a person. She’s so incredibly strong, a fighter, but she still has such a good heart and a drive to do the right thing.

I also adored Kael, Emi and Thane!! I simply can’t wait for the next book - especially after that ending!!

This was so freaking good! I have been in a book slump and this just healed everything. I’ve read several from this author before but this one is definitely my favorite.

Lj Andrews does it again!

Broken Souls and Bones…. Chefs kiss!💋

The execution of the plot…and oh the twist and turns. And the banter…done so well…how she manages to do the best witty and swoon worthy banter with a mute MMC….blew my mind! 🤯

Hands down a great Romantasy!!! And that plot twist!! I need the next book like yesterday.

The Viking era with a wonderful craft (magic) system. I couldn’t put this down.

There is diversity in these characters, LQBTQIA+, and fellow warriors empowering the females around them. Found family, with a twist of betrayal.

All in all, should definitely be on your TBR.

I don’t even know where to begin. I was literally screaming at the last few pages. This is a stunning Norse inspired romantasy set in a unique world with magic based in blood and bones.

LJ Andrews is some sort of romantasy magician. I’ll admit, the beginning was a little slow. I was almost afraid it would follow the typical romantasy formula. NOPE!! This book was amazing. You think you have it figured out, but you really don’t - which, in my humble opinion, are signs of a fantastic story.

Lyra Bien is a melder, someone who holds immense magical power in a world where magical power is sparse and coveted. She hides her identity as a melder by hiding the scars in her eyes, or at least she does until she is found by Prince Thane’s Sentry, Roark Ashwood. She is to be the King’s melder. She must fight to find a way to free herself and her friends all the while battling new and unseen forces.

The world building is immaculate. The character-building is extensive. I was crying for characters before I even hit the halfway mark of the book. LJ Andrews does the found family trope right- slowly and with lots of angst. There was so much yearning between lovers. The banter between all of the characters had me laughing out loud. All the twists and turns of the last 10% of the book had me shirking all my responsibilities just so I could find out what happens next.

I cannot thank Berkley enough for the advanced egalley. I will be screaming about this book for years to come. I hope I don’t have to wait for the second book long after this one releases in April.

This book, while staying true to LJ's love of Vikings, was unlike any other book of hers that I have read. The story plot was so unique and the characters... oh my gosh I am in love with them. Wonderfully written and developed. Its been over a week since I finished this book and I am still thinking about it daily. As soon as I finished, I was already wanting to reread.

This book has
-unique bone and soul magic
-Vikings
-royalty
-enemies to lovers
-found family
-sign language rep (beautifully written)
-slow burn
-mystery
-touch her and die
-dual POV
-hidden identity
-morally grey characters

It is all just yummy, okay?


Thank you LJ Andrews and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy and allowing me to provide an honest review.

The novel centers around Lyra Bien, a young woman whose life is entirely upended when Roark Ashwood, the prince’s enigmatic guard and rumored assassin, drags her into the treacherous folds of royal intrigue and destiny. From the very beginning, Lyra’s struggle to maintain her quiet life in the shadow of the magic-obsessed king will captivate you.
The silver scars in her eyes serve as a haunting reminder of her hidden abilities, and when her best friend’s life hangs in the balance, Lyra is thrust into the spotlight as the king's next melder—an honor that simultaneously betrays her to a fate that hangs mercilessly over her head. Andrews does a remarkable job of crafting a protagonist who is both relatable and fierce, and Lyra’s determination to navigate her newfound abilities sets the tone for a gripping adventure.
One of the standout elements of "Broken Souls and Bones" is the complex relationship between Lyra and Roark. Initially perceived as the silent and brooding enforcer of the crown, Roark embodies the quintessential tortured hero trope. As Lyra learns more about his past and the layers of his character unfold, their dynamic becomes rich and multifaceted. The tension between them is palpable, blending elements of rivalry, trust, and undeniable attraction, making their relationship one of the novel’s most engaging aspects.
Overall, Broken Souls and Bones is a compelling and beautifully written novel that combines magic, romance, and adventure with finesse. Andrews has crafted a riveting tale that speaks to the heart, making it a must-read for fans of fantasy and lovers of character-driven narratives. Whether you’re drawn in by the allure of magic, the thrill of forbidden romance, or the complexity of friendship against a backdrop of danger, this book offers something for everyone.

I am in love. This was everything I hoped it would be. The magic system was unique and very interesting. There was tension with true enemies to lovers which I was here for! This story had me turning pages late into the night because I just had to know what happened next. These characters jump right off the pages. I felt connected and my emotions were all over the place with this read. I have loved LJ Andrews writing and this was no exception. I’m obsessed and need book 2 immediately.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing for this ARC! I absolutely loved this! When I heard LJ Andrews was writing a whole new fantasy world with vikings, magic and romance, I immediately added this to be TBR! And it did not disappoint!

Our FMC is Lyra and she is a servant in Jarl's household, just trying to avoid attention. She has a powerful and rare magic, melding, that she doesn't fully understand but knows that if the power hungry King finds out, her life will change. Enter our MMC, Roark. A tragedy when he was younger took his voice and now he works as the prince's guard and has been tasked with finding the melder and bring them to the King. His search brings him to Lyra's village and while he finds that he is drawn to her, he still brings her to the king. As Lyra learns more about her power, not everything is as it seems in the castle.

Like I mentioned before, I loved this! The worlding building was awesome, such a rich world that is being developed! I loved the magic system and the different types of 'Crafts'. I loved the tension between Lyra and Roark! So good! And the secondary characters! I love this found family that is happening. And the ending! So many feelings and questions. I can't wait for the next one in the series! Broken Souls and Bones comes out April 29th, 2025!

LJ Andrews has this magic about her writing that just absolutely sucks you in and holds you captive even long after the books had ended.
This book was incredible. I'm big on character development and LJ delivered! Lyra was a phenomenal FMC that I liked from her first moments and loved her by her last. She was strong and courageous but also had a vulnerable side that shattered my heart in certain moments. Roark... Silent, broody, possessive and perfect Roark. -sighs dreamily- You don't read many a book about a mute MMC and I may have had some reservations on how well it could be done but wow! A perfect example of the magic LJ delivers in her books!
I want to tell you every little thing about this book because it is THAT good but you really need to read this book without me spoiling it. Just know that everything comes together in the end in a way that has me beyond excited and "Broken Soul" is the perfect term to describe the wait for book 2!
THIS IS A MUST READ.

Lyra Bein lives a quiet and sheltered life. She is trying to remain unnoticed by the magic obsessed king. One night, her town is invaded by Roark Ashwood, the guard of the Kings son Prince Thane with nickname Death Bringer. Lyra is forced to reveal her mender abilities in order to save her best friend. The King takes Lyra as his own personal melder and uses her to infuse bones into the guardsman to make a strong and unbeatable army. The rival clan seems to attack every time Lyra melds and this forces the King to appoint Roark as her own private guard. Their time together only enhances their attraction to the each other. Their romance is forbidden, but their connection continues to grow stronger. Soon they are faced with many harsh truths and must make the ultimate choice for their destiny.

Really enjoyed this book! Lyra is the FMC who has a strong moral compass and always does what is right for those she loves. Roark is a strong MMC. He comes across as gruff and rough, but has many endearing qualities under that rough exterior. He may be a killer and protector for the royal family, but with his sights set on Lyra, will his loyalty to the crown waiver?
Many plot twists, layers to characters, enemies to lovers, Viking romance, and found family. Fans of Fate Inked in Blood will want to check this one out in April!

On Sale Date - April 29th, 2025

Thank you NetGalley and Ace/Berkley for a copy of the digital ARC. All opinions are my own.

Ｂｒｏｋｅｎ Ｓｏｕｌｓ ａｎｄ Ｂｏｎｅｓ
𝖻𝗒 𝖫𝖩 𝖠𝗇𝖽𝗋𝖾𝗐𝗌
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
𝙰𝙻𝙻 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙵𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙺𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚁𝚂

✨𝒴ℴ𝓊 𝒷𝓇𝒾ℊ𝒽𝓉ℯ𝓃 𝓉𝒽ℯ 𝓃𝒾ℊ𝒽𝓉✨

𝖥𝖺𝗇𝗍𝖺𝗌𝗒 𝖱𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾 | 𝖤𝗇𝖾𝗆𝗂𝖾𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝖫𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗌 | 𝖲𝗂𝗅𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝖬𝖬𝖢 | 𝖵𝗂𝗅𝗅𝗂𝖺𝗇 𝖦𝖾𝗍𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖦𝗂𝗋𝗅 | 𝖥𝗈𝗎𝗇𝖽 𝖥𝖺𝗆𝗂𝗅𝗒 | 𝖥𝗈𝗋𝖼𝖾𝖽 𝖯𝗋𝗈𝗑𝗂𝗆𝗂𝗍𝗒 | 𝖲𝗂𝗀𝗇 𝖫𝖺𝗇𝗀𝗎𝖺𝗀𝖾 𝖱𝖾𝗉 | 𝖳𝗈𝗎𝖼𝗁 𝖧𝖾𝗋 & 𝖥𝗂𝗇𝖽 𝖸𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖧𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝗈𝗇 𝖺 𝗌𝗉𝗂𝗄𝖾

⚔️𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑫𝑬𝑹⚔️
𝚁𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎𝚜🛡️𝟺.𝟸𝟿.𝟸𝟻

𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝗅𝗈𝗇𝗀 𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗉 𝖼𝖺𝗆𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗈𝗈𝗄 𝗆𝖾 𝖺𝗐𝖺𝗒 & 𝖨 𝖭𝖤𝖵𝖤𝖱 𝗐𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝖻𝖺𝖼𝗄... 𝖨 𝗐𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗒 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝗅𝖽 𝖫𝖩 𝖼𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗍𝖾𝖽✨ 𝖨 𝖺𝗆 𝗂𝗇 𝒂𝒘𝒆 𝗈𝖿 𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗋𝗒𝗍𝖾𝗅𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗀. 𝖮𝖪 𝖧𝖤𝖠𝖱 𝖬𝖤 𝖮𝖴𝖳... 𝖨 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝖨 𝖺𝗅𝗐𝖺𝗒𝗌 𝗌𝖺𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖺𝖻𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝖤𝖵𝖤𝖱𝖸𝖳𝖧𝖨𝖭𝖦 𝖫𝖩 𝗐𝗋𝗂𝗍𝖾𝗌... 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖻𝗈𝗈𝗄 𝗂𝗌 𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝖺 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝗄 𝗈𝖿 𝖺𝗋𝗍. 𝖨𝗍’𝗌 𝗌𝗍𝗎𝗇𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀 & 𝖻𝖾𝖺𝗎𝗍𝗂𝖿𝗎𝗅 𝗐𝗁𝗂𝗅𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖽𝖺𝗋𝗄 & 𝗆𝗈𝗈𝖽𝗒, 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖬𝖬𝖢 𝖾𝗑𝗉𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗌𝖾𝗌 𝗁𝗂𝗆𝗌𝖾𝗅𝖿 𝗂𝗇 𝗐𝖺𝗒𝗌 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖽𝗈𝗇’𝗍 𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗋, 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍... 𝖮𝖧 𝑹𝒐𝒂𝒓𝒌, 𝖨 𝖽𝗈𝗇’𝗍 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝗌𝖺𝗒. H𝖾 𝗂𝗌 𝖽𝖺𝗋𝗄, 𝗆𝗒𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗂𝗈𝗎𝗌 & 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇 𝖺 𝗅𝗂𝗍𝗍𝗅𝖾 𝗌𝖼𝖺𝗋𝗒... 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝗍𝗈𝗎𝖼𝗁𝖾𝗌 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍’𝗌 𝗁𝗂𝗌, 𝖮𝖧 𝗐𝖾𝗅𝗅 𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝗆𝖺𝗒𝖻𝖾 𝖽𝗈𝗇’𝗍 𝖽𝗈 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍!

𝑳𝒚𝒓𝒂, 𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖿𝗂𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗒 𝖥𝖬𝖢 𝗐𝗁𝗈 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗌 𝖿𝗂𝖾𝗋𝖼𝖾𝗅𝗒 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗁𝖺𝗌 𝗇𝗈 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝖻𝗅𝖾𝗆 𝖽𝗈𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗌𝗁𝖾 𝗇𝖾𝖾𝖽𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝖽𝗈 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗆 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗒 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝗂𝗍 𝗈𝗋 𝗇𝗈𝗍, 𝗂𝗌 𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗉𝗒 𝗁𝗂𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺𝗐𝖺𝗒 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖪𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗎𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗅 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗉𝗋𝗂𝗇𝖼𝖾'𝗌 𝗌𝗂𝗅𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝗀𝗎𝖺𝗋𝖽 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝗍𝖺𝗄𝖾 𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝖺𝗐𝖺𝗒. 𝖭𝗈𝗐 𝗌𝗁𝖾 𝗂𝗌 𝗎𝗇𝖽𝖾𝗋 𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗐𝖺𝗍𝖼𝗁 & 𝗁𝖺𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝖿𝗂𝗇𝖽 𝖺 𝗐𝖺𝗒 𝗍𝗈 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗍𝖾𝖼𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗌𝖾 𝗌𝗁𝖾 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗌 𝗐𝗁𝗂𝗅𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖿𝗈𝗋𝖼𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝗉𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗂𝖼𝖾 𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗆𝖺𝗀𝗂𝖼. 𝖨𝗍’𝗌 𝖺 𝗋𝖺𝖼𝖾 𝖺𝗀𝖺𝗂𝗇𝗌𝗍 𝗍𝗂𝗆𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝖿𝗂𝗀𝗎𝗋𝖾 𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗐𝗁𝗈 𝗌𝗁𝖾 𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝗍𝗋𝗎𝗌𝗍.

𝖫𝖩 𝗂𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝗈𝖿 𝖼𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗌𝗎𝗉𝗉𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗁𝖾𝗅𝗉 𝖼𝖺𝗋𝗋𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗋𝗒 𝖲𝖮 𝗐𝖾𝗅𝗅. 𝖳𝖧𝖠𝖭𝖤 & 𝖤𝖬𝖨 𝖨’𝗆 𝗅𝗈𝗈𝗄𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺𝗍 𝗒𝗈𝗎🖤 & 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝙱𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙴𝚁?!?! 𝖧𝗈𝗐 𝖺𝖻𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝗌𝗂𝗅𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝖻𝖺𝗇𝗍𝖾𝗋? 𝖻𝖺𝗇𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗐𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗇 𝗈𝗇 𝗉𝖺𝗋𝖼𝗁𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍 ? 𝗈𝗋 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇 𝖻𝖺𝗇𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒌 𝗈𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝗄𝗂𝗇?𝖴𝖬 𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚘 𝗀𝗈𝗈𝗌𝖾𝖻𝗎𝗆𝗉𝗌 🫶

𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝗍𝗐𝗂𝗌𝗍𝗌 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖻𝗈𝗈𝗄, 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝖾𝖼𝗋𝖾𝗍𝗌, 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗎𝗇𝗋𝖺𝗏𝖾𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗈𝖿 𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗀𝗈𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗇 𝗉𝖺𝗌𝗍𝗌... 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀𝗌 𝖨 𝖭𝖤𝖵𝖤𝖱 𝗌𝖺𝗐 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗂𝗇𝗀 🤯

This book was incredibly good! LJ Andrews never misses and I cannot wait for everyone to read this. The Viking fantasy vibes, the enemies to lovers, the overall plot and characters were all fantastic. Highly recommend and will add to our library for sure!

You know when you read something that was so freaking good, you just have to sit & stew in silence because it’s over? Because you wanted, no, needed more? That the end of the book popped up before you were ready? That was me. Broken Souls & Bones ruuuuuined me in the BEST way. To the point where I sat, jaw dropped, completely amazed at the end. It pulled me in, captured my attention until the very last period at the end of the last page.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS BOOK. @authorljandrews does it again!!! (There’s a reason she’s an auto-buy though because 🤌🏼)

If you love Viking fantasy aesthetic, broody & mysterious MMCs, enemies to lovers, anddddd intriguing magic & world building, I’d highly, highly, hiiiiiighly recommend adding this to your TBR. immediately.

The MMC doesn’t verbally talk, so it’s different. It’s good. It’s fresh. It’s new. Love it. Loooove it.

Thank you LJ, @berkleypub, & @netgalley for the ARC. It truly was one of my top 5 reads this year. ❤️

This book was phenomenal. LJ Andrews has done it again. She is an amazing story teller and world-builder. I fell in love with the characters and the relationships between them. The plot twists had me on the edge of my seat. If I could give this book 10 stars, I would.

I’m giving it 4.5!

The other .5 I think is my fault or my stupid brain, only because the magic confused me a bit and I could quite grasp it.

Did I absolutely LOVE our FMC? YES!
Was I tingling throughout? Duh.

How LJ can make us fall in love with a man who doesn’t even speak is true god da*n talent people.

Also! Her ability to make us fall in love with the side characters!! Thane is my new favorite human and I will ship him forever and ever.. and ever!

Thank you SO MUCH Berkeley and NetGalley for my eARC!

Firstly, I should have known….I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN!!!! These Cliffhangers!! Secondly, I love ALL of LJ Andrew’s books but I feel like this series is going to become my favorite. The magic system is unlike anything I’ve ever read and the building of the world as you move through the book was like watching a movie unfold right before my eyes. For me, it’s hard to fully identify with the FMCs but Lyra was written beautifully. Strong willed, witty, fragile, strong…just the full embodiment of everything I love in an FMC. Now, look….I'm not saying I’m a mentally stable human so…the whole Rorak feeding fingers to the man who touches her, YES TO ALL!! This book hooked me in at the prologue and by the end, I was so emotionally attached to every single character!! Love love love and I can not wait to see where this new series is going to go!!

♾️ 6 ⭐️
2 🌶️

😮😮😮
🫣🫣🫣
🫠🫠🫠

Wha… what on Gods green earth.. How-w-www does LJ Andrews come up with these ideas?! 👏🏻 🔥

Fan-fricken-fastic. Wow. Where do I even start. Ok well let’s start with the amazing portrayal of sign language as the language for the MMC and how even though he doesn’t “speak” all the ways LJ conveyed his language. Thru touch, parchment, spelling of the words on her back, “hand speak”. Never for a moment did you wonder what Roark was thinking or saying. His broody, mysterious, smoooooth, charismatic & protective af character was so well done.

The magic in this new series is phenomenal; bone, blood & soul magic.

I had the absolute pleasure of reading this eARC and I think it’s going to forever be on my mind as one of the greatest books LJ has written. Up there with The Ever King. Releases April 29, 2025 and I’m going be screaming about it until and even after then. This is a must read!! Viking, magic, “mine”, tension, passion, he will do ANYTHING for her.

Thank you NetGalley, LJ Andrews and Berkley Publishing for this eARC. The hangover is going to be so real with this.

Words cannot adequately describe how much I love this book and LJ Andrews brilliant mind.

If you are a fan of Fantasy Romance with Viking roots, Magic, Captor/Captive, Forced Proximity, Broody MMC, Secret Identity, Found Family and so much more this book is for you!

I do not want to give too much away about this story but Roark is going to be everyone’s new favorite book boyfriend. The fierce possessiveness that this Sentry feels for Lyra even when he dislikes her craft is undeniable. Roark is a man of no words, due to an injury he can no longer talk and communicates by a hand speak language but he speaks volumes. With plenty of swoonworthy moments between him and Lyra.

Lyra finds Roark to be a conundrum when times he is rough with her but other times she senses the feelings in his unspoken words. However, there is a deep connection between them that she cannot deny. While she has been in hiding for most of her life that she remembers, trying to forget she has a craft, she quickly becomes a force to be reckoned with after trying to be unseen for so long.

The found family throughout this story is absolutely wonderful. I enjoyed the banter between Prince Thane and Roark so much as they have become like brothers and Lyra has her own found brother in Kael. While Emi plays a big role as well, helping Lyra adjust and acclimate her to her new role.

Family is a big focus in this story and Lyra will stop at nothing to protect those she cares for and Roark will burn everything to the ground to keep Lyra safe. The pacing and build up throughout is great and when truths start clicking into place Lyra has to figure out what to do quickly. Truths come to light that have her questioning everything she knows and I, for one, cannot wait to see what happens next.

Firstly, LJ Andrews NEVER fails to disappoint ….
Once again a stellar showing !

This book ensnared me from the beginning with the depth of these characters! Lyra, our FMC, from the very beginning her story what she has to overcome and leading into what hurdles she continues to encounter. Then sweet Kael the protective loyal golden retriever cinnamon roll. Emi, who surprised me with a few twists in her story not gonna lie I like her reminds me of myself. Thane absolutely surprised me love him and hope to see more of him in book 2 doing what I NEED him to do (once you read you’ll know too). Beyond all that though is ROARKE, our MMC who has major shadow zaddy vibes all the favorite tropes are there and while he may not say much what he does say is captivating or hilarious.

Also prepare yourselves that ending good lawd with a hanger, I sincerely hope that as I am typing this right now, LJ is in her den working on book 2 cause I needed it yesterday!

Overall this was a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and once the spice got spicing it was 🌶️🌶️ 1/2 almost 3 but not quite though so,e of the things ROARKE “said”….hawt!

If you’re a fan of any of LJ’s other works like Ever King my personal fav then you are sure to love this !