The Rose in the Shadows drew me in with its intriguing premise—an amnesiac girl marked by a dead god, court politics, magic, and a morally gray prince—and it delivered on the vibes.

Thea is the kind of protagonist you can’t help but root for. She’s stubborn, cautious, and completely out of her depth when she’s thrown into palace life and forced to play the political game. Her memory loss added a nice layer of mystery to the plot, and watching her slowly piece together her identity (while trying not to get killed) was one of the best parts of the story.

The romance is a slow burn, but it’s done well. Prince Clayton is a brooding strategist with secrets of his own, and their tension—especially in the classic one-bed scene—was satisfyingly messy.

If I had one critique, it’s that the world-building could have gone deeper, but it makes sense given that Thea’s learning about everything alongside us. It’s more character-focused than lore-heavy, and that worked for me.

Overall, a really solid start to the series. Court drama, divine magic, enemies to lovers—it’s got all the hallmarks of a binge-worthy romantasy. I’ll definitely be picking up book two.

⭐ 4.25 🌶️ 2

This book is amazing! 😍 The plot is great, the characters and the yearning between MFC and MMC are just impossible to describe ❤️‍🔥 So much slow burn! And the best type! I am so hooked on their story and the whole universe!

I loved the found family trope, the world, and how easy it is to follow every single detail.

The characters were the best part. I truly care for all of them, and all the stories are interesting. And that end! OMG 😱

I will definitely continue reading this series. I am really excited about book 2! 🔥🔥

Thank you so much to Arcadia Rayne and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for giving me access to this amazing ARC via NetGalley.

What an unexpected and wild ride. Theodora is everything you could want in a strong FMC even though she has no memories. The crazy pull she has to the prince while they deny themselves is epic!! I’m so happy book 2 is out and I can jump right it!!

THANK YOU NETGALLEY, the author and the publisher for this eARC**


I just finished The Rose in the Shadows by Arcadia Rayne, and WOW—I literally couldn’t put it down! I stayed up way too late, completely absorbed in Thea’s story.

Right from the start, I connected with Theadora Moore, whose mysterious past and powerful magic instantly pulled me in. She’s the last descendant of Hyrax, the God of the Dead, and watching her navigate dangerous court intrigues kept my pulse racing.

I absolutely loved the friendships she built—especially with Iris, Kent, Lorelai, Camilla, and the dragon Rankor. Each relationship felt real and meaningful. And don’t even get me started on Prince Clay—his chemistry with Thea had me practically begging for more!

Thea’s vivid dreams and encounters with a mysterious figure added so much suspense, making me eager to uncover every secret. Just when I thought I had things figured out, shocking twists hit hard, leaving me breathless and emotionally invested.

The ending left me desperately needing the next book—I have SO many questions, especially about Camilla’s revelations. Honestly, if you’re looking for an addictive fantasy full of magic, romance, and jaw-dropping reveals, you need to read this. Just be prepared to lose some sleep!

The Rose in the shadows is a captivating debut by Arcadia Rayne that masterfully blends myth-inspired fantasy with a slow-burn enemies to lovers romance that will keep you turning the pages eagerly for more.
I absolutely fell in love with Thea during the story and found myself really wrapped up and entranced by her journey. Once she gets marked as the last living Descendant she has to learn to navigate court politics and uncover all there is to be known about who she really is. Thea's journey is thrilling but also emotionally sound.
Rayne crafts a rich and thrilling world that is unique and manages to stand out in the fantasy world. Full of dragon shifters, divine descendants, and political intrigue. Thea's relationship with Prince Clayton Vail adds a layer of romance to the story that offers readers a journey full of tension and vulnerability. The supporting cast is also worthy of your attention adding the found family aspect to the mix and making for an emotionally impactful story.
The Rose in the Shadows is a standout, worthy addition to the Romantasy genre. I will definitely be picking up the rest of the series.

This book had me hooked from the very beginning and didn't let go until the very end. The plot is extremely captivating and interestingly written; I couldn't stop turning the pages. The lively writing style draws you straight into the world. The characters are wonderfully developed and the dynamic between them is fantastic. I can't wait to read the second book in the series!

I am so glad it's the weekend! I finally could read this gem without being disturbed. Gosh, this book is mind-blowing!

If you are a fan of the tropes, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, only one bed, forbidden love, magic battles, betrayal, deities, and lots of action, this book is for you!

This story starts with a bang and ends with a bang! That cliffhanger is brilliant. Really gives you that urge to grab the next book, and guess what? The sequel is out now!

The Mortal World vs. The Underworld. Zion vs. Hyrax. But what will happen when the descendants from these deities fall in love with each other? Be ready for a fantastic page-turner, action-packed, suspenseful, and exciting story!

At the beginning I was a little lost about what was happening but I quickly got really into it.
The FMC is discovering a lot of things about her since she’s lost her memory which is intriguing and makes you want to know more about it. She’s discovering things about her and her surroundings as we (readers do). Love the growing of her character and resilience.
It touches some sensitive things like grief and mental health which made me emotional at times.
Then there’s the plot twist some of them I expected and some others I didn’t. There’s too much things going on that makes the mistery even better.
Love the magic system, the politics, dragon shifters, badass fmc, slow burn, love that it has a connection to greek mythology.

This story focuses on court politics and the mystery of the appearance of a descendant of a long lost line.

Thea, our FMC, is a strong willed person that struggles with the sense of belonging. Belonging to someone, belonging to a family, belonging somewhere. Clay, our MMC is a stern and calculating person, but throughout the story you learn more about his traumas and the real individual behind the royal mask. The side characters that attribute the found family in this story are lovable and I am glad the author decided to do a prequel after this book where we can learn more about them.

The plot follows themes of found family, forbidden romance, abuse, grief and different types of magic. The pace of the story is steady giving us moments of action, moderate world building and a slow burn romance, all building up for book two. The world building in this story is not extensive, since we are learning about the world through Thea's eyes and with her amnesia, everything is new to her. But, we do learn from the two principal houses and how they came to be.

This book was truly amazing, I could not put it down and had to finish it in one day. The world building, the writing, the magic system, the romance, political intrigue and court drama - I mean this book had it all.

I dont want to spoil too much, because this book speaks for it self. If you want to loose yourself in a book, I highly recommend this one.

Found family
Slow burn
Political intrigue
Dragons
Lost memories
Swoon worthy forbidden romance

A romantasy your definitely going to want to get your hands on! A fantastic debut cannot wait to read book two!!!!

Plot summary:
In the realm of Athenia, a mysterious woman suddenly appears and launches an attack on the kingdom. After being rendered unconscious, she awakens with no memory of who she is or where she came from. Subjected to intense questioning by the cold, calculating, yet undeniably charming Crown Prince Clayton (Clay) Vail of House Zion—King of the Gods and a fearsome dragon shifter—she chooses a name at random: Theadora, or Thea for short.

Soon, a tattoo on her chest reveals a startling truth: Thea is a Descendant—one who carries the blood of the Gods—granting her enhanced strength and speed. She belongs to House Hyrax, the long-extinct bloodline of the God of the Underworld. With the last known member of that house being Zacharia Moore, Thea assumes the surname Moore and is presented to the royal court. There, King Vyncent—the Dragon King of Athenia and Clay’s father—sees in her a political opportunity to unite the realms in peace.

As Thea adjusts to life within the palace and forms unexpected bonds, including with Clay, danger closes in. Assassination attempts grow more frequent, and questions swirl. Who wants her dead? Can she choose love over the heavy weight of destiny? And what secrets lie behind the stranger who haunts her dreams?

Review:
Wow!! I loved this book so much 😭❤️ This book was incredibly intricate and absolutely captivating! I'm beyond grateful to have received the ARC for both this one and the sequel. Huge thanks to NetGalley and author Arcadia Rayne for the opportunity!

This was an absolutely captivating start to the series! My heart broke for Thea, Clay, and especially Iris😭 I’m really hoping for healing in future books. The world-building was vivid and easy to follow, making Athenia feel real. While it includes familiar fantasy themes, the author gives the story a fresh, unique voice. I felt deeply connected to the characters and can’t wait to learn more about Thea’s family history! I am so excited to start the next book and know it will not disappoint, and hope there is a HEA for Thea and Clay !!

The Rose in the Shadows is a captivating blend of court intrigue, forbidden magic, and slow-burn romance. The story follows Theadora Moore, who awakens with no memory but bears a mark linking her to the extinct House of Hyrax, the God of the Dead. Thrust into the treacherous politics of Athenia by Prince Clayton Vail, Thea must navigate a world where trust is scarce and danger lurks at every turn.

The dynamic between Thea and Clayton is electric, filled with tension and a well-executed enemies-to-lovers arc. Their chemistry—especially during the one-bed forced proximity scene—adds emotional weight to their evolving relationship. Side characters like Iris and Rankor build out a compelling found-family element that grounds the story.

Rayne’s world-building is lush and immersive, drawing inspiration from myth without feeling derivative. The pacing keeps things moving with twists and secrets that unfold at just the right time. While the romance is a slow burn, the payoff is worth it—and the emotional stakes are high throughout.

Perfect for romantasy lovers craving danger, depth, and a romance that simmers. I’ll definitely be picking up the next in the House of Hyrax series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What abook. Devoured this in a sitting, will pick up anything by this author now. An auto buy. 5* from start to finish I was hooked.

This book surprised me in a good way!

I assumed it was going to be an easy to read and follow Romantasy along the lines of many others but where it has lots of similar elements I really enjoyed the magic system, trials and tribulations of the characters and twists too. It is set up nicely to go into book 2 which I have the ARC for and I'm excited to read!

You genuinely feel for the main character at so many points in this book, for many reasons too. She's understandably confused and learning but shes also brave and caring. The side characters are well thought out. The world isn't massive but I think it adds to the plot, perhaps it'll grow in time with the story.

Overall I read this book super fast, enjoyed it and I look forward to book 2!

Thank you to NetGalley and author Arcadia Rayne for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars

This book was really good! Fast paced, intriguing and full of surprises. This is a story about this girl that doesn't remember her name and where she's coming from... In the first few pages you see her using a really strong magic and destroying everything she comes across. She finds out that she's the last descendant to the God of the Underworld thanks to a tattoo upon her chest.

I did enjoy the story about the gods and how the descendants were born. It was really cool and you can see the author taking lots of inspiration from the greek mythology. (which I don't mind because I love books about gods)

I had a love and frustrating relationship with Thea... sometimes I loved her and sometimes not, depending on what she was doing in the chapters. (aka doing things she wasn't supposed to and being a troublemaker, but at the same time, she was strong and I loved her attitude especially against the Dragon - if you know what I mean...) I'm happy that the love story with Thea and Clay wasn't forced and too quick.

I will definitely want to read the second book!

I loved that the story didn’t solely focus on the romance—it really gave space to everything happening around it, which made it even more compelling. I’m a big fan of a slow burn, and this one absolutely did it justice. I couldn’t put it down, and it pulled me right out of my reading slump. I loved Thea and Clay individually, but I was definitely rooting for them as a couple too.

This book either had too much happening or not enough. I'm a #1 fan of romantic fantasy, but the romance was really lacking in this one. I seem to be in the minority here, but I couldn't stand Clay. I personally began hoping that the romance would be with Dimitri because I liked him better than any other male character. I liked Thea enough but honestly just felt bad for her the whole time. Memory loss, being stuck around the most toxic people, and feeling the responsibility to repopulate her realm?? I'm grateful to have received this ARC, but I did not enjoy this as much as I'd hoped. There were many times I considered DNF'ing. Thank you Netgalley.

A girl with no past. A god’s power in her blood. A prince who might be her ruin or her only chance.

The Rose in the Shadows is magical and addictive. Theadora is the last Descendant of the God of the Dead, and her journey is packed with secrets, court politics, and slow burn tension. Think high stakes, sharp twists, and a heroine you can’t help but root for.

This was like stepping into a dark fairytale. The prose was dreamy and poetic, and the love story had that aching, fated feel I adore. Some of the pacing was a bit uneven, but I didn’t mind — I was too busy being swept away by the atmosphere.