I knew I was going to enjoy this one simply because of the blurb and I was completely wrong, I absolutely freaking LOVED it. It’s definitely going to go on my shelf as soon as it’s published.

The description of this book drew me in, and I loved reading it all play out. The characters were fantastic, and it was a fun read. I definitely recommend this book, it was a nice change of pace.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bramble for an advanced reader copy of this title and exchange for an honest review. Initially, I decided to read this book because I love a dark and mysterious cover on a book and was really drawn by the premise. Overall, I really enjoyed it – the characters were well thought out, and I loved the dynamic conversation between the main characters. I would have rated this book higher, but I felt like there were some elements of the book where it was super drawn out, and therefore could’ve been a lot shorter.

There’s something irresistibly tender and quietly defiant about this story. Oneira’s nightly visits to Stearanos’ library are less about stealing knowledge and more about reclaiming the pieces of herself she never had time to find. The cat-and-mouse dynamic between these two ex-enemies feels like a perfectly brewed potion—equal parts tension, humor, and reluctant respect. It’s not just a game; it’s a dance, one step removed from their former battles and one step closer to something… softer.

This is a great book! Well worth the read! It reminds me of one my favorite books, fantastic work. Please read this

What is the balm for nothingness? For the pause that comes after you take yourself out of a bloody, brutal game? For Oneira, a recently retired famously brutal sorceress, it’s animals, baking passable bread, and playing a game of cat and mouse with her nemesis, Stearanos that involves his library and a lovely book of cultivating roses.

She visits his stunning library while under the cover of her powers to poke at the titles on his shelf, because after a life of murder and destruction, what else is there to do?

Fans of Rebecca Thorne and T. Kingfisher’s Swordheart will love this one! I would read one hundred books about fantasy characters after their big showdowns. They live in the ‘so what now’ times and it’s such a beautifully ripe phase that we don’t see too often in stories.

Thank you to Bramble for an early copy of this cozy romance showing us what comes after— there is something, and it is glorious:)