I actually really liked book 1 of this series a lot. It was well rounded and the story was unique and great lead characters. I loved the love (always the smut hound), in fact that awful martyr scene culminated in the... steamiest scene Love among the chains.... sounds like an erotica to me! And not just the physical: these two are constantly saying and showing affection (that last declaration as Vor holds an unconscious Farraine in his arms: I really enjoyed the secondary characters, and appreciate their contribute to the story pace and dynamics. In addition, the main guy's emotions make no freaking sense; he acts and thinks completely differently at the beginning of the book then at the end, when everything could have been satisfyingly solved if he'd actually stayed true to his character. Presumably, the author decided to make him a completely different person because...conflict? Plot holes? To torture the readers? To get two more books out of the series? H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Vor. I liked him. I appreciated his caring for the h and how he was respectful of her needs.

A Thing happens that I felt came out of nowhere, was brutal and abrupt, and ultimately overshadowed the entirety of the rest of the book for me. I don’t want to spoil it because if I have to label this review as a spoiler people won’t see it and be forewarned - as I wasn’t - that this book gets really disturbing out of nowhere. If you have any kinds of triggers around loss of bodily autonomy this will probably be very upsetting and even traumatic(which I didn’t know was a thing, but apparently very much is for me). Faraine and Vor's story comes to a conclusion in the 3rd and final book of the Shadow King series. Many questions are answered, secrets revealed, and also an opportunity for a possible spinoff series??But, yeah, overall wasn’t impressed with the romance aspect of this fantasy romance. But many others love this kind of angst in their romances so if that’s your thing, and you like good fantasy stories this might be a good read for you. Heart of the shadow king was just an amazing read. Faraine the FMC was just unstoppable in this book. She totally came into her power and was just amazing.The depth of her love for Vor and how she came into her own was everything! Vor the MMC is struggling to protect his kingdom the best way he knows how while trying to come to terms with his feelings for Faraine and how they affect his kingdom. The author did an amazing job detailing all of the characters. I felt like every character was vital to the story and played their part to perfection.

After being separated from her due to regular daily activities for half a day)) “Ah, Faraine! Now at last I may breathe again.” Wow. 🩵🖤 I don't know where to begin! This series has had me in a chokehold since Book 1 and I got the privilege of being an ARC reader for the final book in the Trilogy! And my heart is so full right now. That was an amazing conclusion! Passionate and alluring, Bride of the Shadow King is an arranged marriage tale with dual point-of-view (his and hers). The first book in a new fantasy romance series, this sweeping tale of love and betrayal is perfect for readers looking for a touch of spice to go with the sweet in their next swoony, slow-burn romance. What an absolutely stunning conclusion to this trilogy! Thank you to Sylvia Mercedes for the amazing opportunity to be a small part of this incredible world as an ARC reader. I have loved every minute of Vor and Faraine’s journey. Wow! Heart of the shadow king was everything I needed it to be! Sylvia Mercedes did an amazing job with this book, this entire series! I fell in love with Faraine, Vor and all of Mythanar.

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Vor and Faraine admit their feelings but can’t consummate and put the kingdom at risk because—as I finally figured out—Vor is magically bound to fight for Faraine’s awful dad, but the dad is not bound to offer magical aid to Vor’s kingdom; only a bride was part of the deal and consummation seals it. Dumb deal, Vor, regardless of which sister you actually married. Faraine resigns to being his wife and queen in all other respects and proves herself worthy of the titles by saving Vor and the tortured souls of his dead people during a magical ritual. Inevitably, they do consummate in the garden (it’s lovely), and so, bound by the bargain, Vor gathers his army to go to war against the Fae for Faraine’s awful father. Vor and Faraine are separated for many frustrating chapters, in which Faraine learns from Vor’s unhinged mother to use her power to dull her feelings and turn herself into literal stone (crystal), which was hard to picture. It’s obvious that this is not a good plan, as it requires her to give up her lifelong powers of empathy and ability to calm emotions, and it also aligns with the interests of the creepy cult Vor has been fighting against The Whole Time. I was thrilled to hear that Mercedes is planning on writing a spin off in the same world! I absolutely can’t wait to read it! I was fortunate enough to be sent Bride of the Shadow King as an arc - but unfortunately the format was horrible. Random paragraphs all over the place and couldn't make sense of the story at times. With that being said, from what I managed to understand and read, it was an amazing story. The world- building was really good, if not as in depth as I would’ve liked. However, the unique magic system and lore surrounding the Troldefolk was incredibly gripping and really helped to bring Mythanar (and its unique underground setting) to life. I am newer to Sylvia Mercedes (though an age-old fan to her previous pen name), and I have been reading her books nonstop. So when she was offering ARC copies of the first book to a new series, I fought my way onto the list, and here we are.

En conclusión, ¿lo recomiendo? Sí. Pero, siempre hay un, pero, es como dije al principio la portada no ayuda. Estoy segura que si se hacía un cambio, muchas de mis amistades lo leerían, sin lugar a dudas y les gustaría. So I don't usually care about terrible effects especially since this is a low budget drama I didn't expect much but it was pretty bad nonetheless.Are the sisters really dead? (I don’t necessarily think so - my rule in fiction is if a major character dies off screen, they’re not dead until we see a body) Side note, when Vor and Farraine are in the pool, helping the souls pass over, I kinda got Hades and Persephone vibes... Then it sort of fell apart in book 2 once they actually get together and the melodrama was pretty bad.

h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Faraine. I liked her. I appreciated her goodness and how she was protective even when it hurt herself. It was like someone had a plot in mind and just rolled with it without thinking about anything else. They literally just found ways to create misunderstandings or put the FL and ML together. El final sobre todo te deja con ganas de más y yo me fui directa al segundo. ¿Mejora? Sí, sigue siendo igual de interesante pero bueno ya dejaré dicha opinión para su correspondiente reseña.

There's a huge dive into violence (I quite like that) and you really didn't expect it. I think that should be a trigger warning for some? The story doesn't really "come to life" until about half way, but you expect that with a slow burn so I want disappointed. It is a well structured and thought out plot, so overall a great read. My only downfall was trying to piece together certain parts with the format being a bit "off". As I said before it is a slow-burn romance, so if you don’t enjoy those (I’m talking Mariana Zapata levels of slow-burn) then you might want to skip this. However, if you’re anything like me (and love them) then you’re gonna adore the deliciously intense build up that we get. For an instant I am too stunned to think, to breathe. Her eyes, blue and gold, capture me in their strange depths. My soul cries out to enfold her even as my body burns to possess her.” What and ending!! I’m a little sad that this series is now finished but I’m so happy with how it turned out. Sylvia did and amazing job with wrapping everything up and making my romantic heart sing. She did have me a little worried and I had a momentary freak out but it all worked out in the end. 😂 I am a big fan of Fantasy Romance so when I read the synopsis of Bride of the Shadow King, I knew it was exactly my kind of story. I have read books before by Sylvia Mercedes and always enjoyed them, so I really was looking forward to reading this, especially as I know the second book in the series, Vow of the Shadow King is due for release on the 23rd of October this year, I’m an impatie