When the King of Darkness dies, the land begins the Coronation, a deadly ritual where one wielder from each element is chosen to compete for the throne. Only one survives. Aurora never knew the woman who raised her was a Light Bringer, and now she’s forced into the trials while learning to control magic she never asked for. Standing in her way is Sterling, the Prince of Darkness, her most dangerous rival, who singles her out from day one.

From the first page, I was hooked. The world-building is chef’s kiss, and I loved how Aurora leads with mercy even when others don’t deserve it. Her alliance with Novas and Elsa quickly turns into a real friendship, which was nice to see in the middle of all the danger.

Sterling is very much a “who did this to you” kind of MMC. Protective, intense, and absolutely unhinged when it comes to what’s his. His relationship with Aurora is complicated in the best way, full of tension, stolen moments, and slow-burn chemistry.

Willow’s writing pulls you in fast. I was flying through pages needing to know what happened next. And that ending? Now I’m stuck waiting for book two after the coronation went the way it did.

This book had me gasping, kicking my feet in the air giggling, and then with tears in my eyes another minute. This book has left me in shock no lie! The enemies to lovers aspect is amazing, possessive MMC with a independent FMC. The yearning ate! This was a read on the shorter side, fast-paced but not rushed. I almost feel like the author has slapped me upside the head lol! But in a good way? 🤣🥹

I loved this little banger. I have rated it 5 stars because it left me wanting more, in a good way. I will be eagerly anticipating book 2 of this duet.

Eternal Shadows was a "holy smokes, clear-your-schedule!" kind of read for me!
I absolutely devoured this from start to finish and was completely immersed the entire time. For a novella, it packs quite an impressive emotional and narrative punch.

It takes real skill to deliver characters you immediately root for, friendships that tug at your heart, and a romance with genuine, crackling chemistry... and wow, Willow Asteria nails all of it.

Aurora is easy to love, easy to believe in, and watching her step into her power was thrilling.
Sterling, the Prince of Darkness, is exactly the kind of morally complicated, dangerous, intriguing presence I can never resist. The tension between him and Aurora is intense, layered, and deliciously conflicted.

As for the story, I adore a good fantasy competition - and these felt fresh, dangerous, and genuinely suspenseful. Every challenge had me holding my breath, fully invested in who would make it through and at what cost. Total nail-biters!

And that ending?! Unexpected, bold, and so satisfying!! I closed the book buzzing and immediately desperate for more. If there isn’t a sequel coming, I may actually riot (politely, but firmly).

Eternal Shadows was an easy five-star read for me! Compelling, emotional, and impossible to put down. I’ll be watching this author very closely for her next work!

I wanted more of this book, no needed more of this book. This is a very quick read for me I picked it up and read it within 30 minutes. I would recommend this book to anyone.

3.75-4/5⭐️ 2/5 🌶️

I’m probably overthinking the star rating. But let me explain…

Okay so I loved the premise of this book — shadow daddy, light vs dark, elemental magic, hidden powers, and trials. I’m usually not big on trial-based plots, but this one definitely intrigued me.

However, this was a very fast-paced romantasy, and the author managed to squeeze everything into less than 150 pages, which honestly made me wish there was more. I felt like the MCs got together a little too quickly, and while I enjoyed the plot and twists, I wanted more development of the world, magic, and relationships. I do enjoy her writing style, but with the fast pacing, it just made me want to slow down and savor it more.

There are also a few spicy scenes which added to the romance without taking over the story.

And that cliffhanger… I literally screamed when I saw “To Be Continued.”

Book two please!

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the ARC

I really liked this book.

Its a nice quick read with no messing about just gets into the book and gets on with it no unnecessary fluffing to make the book longer which sometimes can be too much.

The characters are good and I liked the chemistry between the FMC and her besties.

It was a little sad at parts.

A really nice change to a fantasy series and took no time at all to read 🥰

This was a very interesting, compelling, fast paced, short read....

I found it to be a mix of Hunger Games meets Divergent (in a loose interpretation, but it gave me those vibes).

I didn't love the ending... but seeing as it's book 1, it makes more sense. Look forward to reading the next one!

I liked the characters & world building... I appreciated that I could understand what was going on without having to take SO long to set it all up... the author is concise 0 writes in an understandable/relatable way.

Thanks to the author (Willow Asteria), publisher & Netgalley for the ARC read. All opinions are my own.

Absolutely a gem of a novella. Fast paced, great world building, cracking cliffhanger! A Shadow Daddy MMC, an independent and fierce FMC that falls for her enemy and sprinkling of spice. I am so eager to read more from Willow!

Thank you NetGalley and Willow Asteria Books for this eCopy to review.

Eternal Shadows by Willow Asteria is a dark, atmospheric romantasy about destiny, forbidden power, and a love that threatens to unravel the world. It’s intense, immersive, and driven by a heroine who has been lied to her entire life and a man who may be her greatest threat or her only salvation.

🌑 Summary
Aurora has spent her life hidden, raised by her mentor Lucinda, who never told her the truth about who she is. She has never been told she is a Lightbringer, the one power the realm’s darkness fears most.

When soldiers discover them, Aurora and Lucinda are captured and Aurora learns the truth about what she is and that she has to take part in the Coronation Trails, a deadly competition that will decide the future ruler of the realm.

Thrown into the pit until they start Aurora is kept in the dark ... then Prince Sterling appears.

Cold, unreadable, and wrapped in shadows, Sterling removes Aurora from the pit himself. No one understands why. Least of all Aurora. Is she a pawn? A threat? A weapon he intends to break? Or something far more dangerous to him than prophecy ever predicted?

As Aurora begins training for the Trials, her power awakens wild, luminous, and impossible to hide. And so does the pull between her and Sterling:
sharp, forbidden, and threaded with a tension that could ignite or destroy them both

👑 What I Liked
Aurora’s hidden‑power — her shock, fear, and gradual acceptance of her identity feel authentic and emotionally grounded.
A compelling enemies‑to‑lovers dynamic — Sterling is cold, strategic, and maddeningly unreadable; their chemistry is electric.
The mentor relationship with Lucinda— protective, complicated, and central to Aurora’s early worldview.
High‑stakes capture and forced proximity — the pit, the palace, the Trials… all heighten the tension beautifully.
Shadow vs. light magic — atmospheric, symbolic, and woven naturally into the worldbuilding.

🔥 Final Thoughts
Eternal Shadows is a gripping romantasy with a vivid world, a heroine shaped by lies, and a dangerously compelling love interest whose motives remain deliciously unclear. While some tropes are familiar, the execution is strong, the atmosphere rich, and the emotional tension addictive.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of Eternal Shadows.

Eternal Shadows delivers a fast paced fantasy romance built around a coronation competition where elemental wielders fight for the throne. The concept immediately pulled me in and kept me turning pages.

Aurora stands out as a compassionate yet resilient protagonist navigating a high stakes world shaped by political tension and deadly challenges. Her moral center directly challenges the darker forces around her, which adds emotional weight to the story.

The romance introduces a morally grey male lead whose intensity and protectiveness will resonate with readers who enjoy possessive energy and enemies to lovers tension. The moderate spice enhances the connection without overpowering the central plot.

The shorter length keeps the momentum strong and makes the book easy to binge in one sitting. At times, I wanted deeper exploration of the world building and relationship development, but the pacing makes it highly accessible and engaging.

I recommend this to readers who enjoy romantasy, elemental magic systems, competition driven plots, and morally grey MMCs.

All opinions are my own.