The Raven & the Lake pulled me into a beautifully written, immersive world full of gods, fated mates, and Arthurian magic, and honestly I couldn't get enough of the found family vibes and the tension between Jes and Owyn. The writing itself is gorgeous and really puts you right there with the characters, especially on their adventures together. That said, I did find myself getting a bit lost at times, the plot moves around a lot between characters and I occasionally struggled to picture exactly where things were happening. Some of the phrasing and descriptions felt repetitive too. Still, I loved the fated mates dynamic and how much heart went into their bond, even with the heartbreak of them being pulled apart. I'm genuinely excited for book two and can't wait to see where this series goes.

This was a 5 star Romantasy for me. I fell in love with this book.

The fae, ancient magic, mythology and Camelot influences had me hooked and awake until 3am!

The love between Jesryn and Owyn was the best. The Angst had my heart ripped apart and put back together so many times, which has left me feeling a little emotionally wrought in the best way. Their relationship had me wanting to scream at them one minute and swooning the next. You could feel the history between them.

I also loved how atmospheric the whole book feels. There is something dark and almost dreamlike about the world that made it incredibly easy to get completely lost in it. The mythology and worldbuilding left me wanting to know so much more.

The story feels like the beginning of something much bigger and I can't wait for the second book!!!

I would reccomend this to readers who love dark fae, fated mates, second-chance romance, mythology, slow burn and a healthy amount of emotional suffering.

I can't wait to get a physical copy of this book and hopefully book stores in Australia start to stock it soon!!!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!
A beautifully written, immersive slow burn into a world of gods, fated mates, and Arthurian magic. The prose is gorgeous, pulling you right alongside Jes and Owyn as urban fantasy entwines with the epic magic of Faery and old legend. Their fated mates bond carries real heart, and the found family around them adds warmth even as heartbreak pulls the pair apart. A strong heroine facing a destiny she doesn't want, a fiercely devoted love interest, and a loyal group of friends give the story a compelling emotional core. This isn't a book built for speed. It rewards patience, asking readers to sit with its riddles, prophecies, and dense world building rather than rush through. The plot shifts between characters and settings in ways that can blur where things are happening, but the atmosphere, dark, eerie, and poetic, more than makes up for it. Things ramp up by the back half, leaving you desperate for the sequel.

Thank you to Ravenheart Books via NetGalley for providing this ARC. All opinions are my own.
This was beautiful. The prose was very dreamlike, very atmospheric. This is something that you have to read slowly, to really enjoy as the plot meanders a bit between characters and settings. I loved the snippets of Morgan le Fay and Arthur in between chapters; they really mirrored what was happening between Owen and Jes. If you enjoy reading King Arthur, and Celtic folklore, you’ll really enjoy this. Definitely recommend!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

First off, I really loved the prose. It's very lyrical, and if that isn't your style, I probably wouldn't recommend this book to you!

I did enjoy it! I loved the mythology and world-building, but the pacing and some of the plot points were just really confusing, and I struggled to figure out sometimes what I was reading or, frankly, what happened.

Still, it was enjoyable, and I do think the romance between Jes and Own was good, and I enjoyed it. But you do need to be patient with this book. If you're looking for a quick read, don't pick it!

New adult fantasy style book 🖤💮

Good writing style

Good characters

Good dialogue

Good memorable book

The Raven & The Lake, Hoarfrost, Book One, is an atmospheric romantasy novel with great world building.

Jesryn and Owyn are the core of this story, but there is so much more to this world than just romance. There's magic, fae, mythology. So many things to keep your interest that adds layers upon layers to the story. There's a lot of angst, longing, and so many emotions and feelings that the author gets just right.

However, there is quite the learning curve and much patience is needed to finish the book. I found myself having to go back and re-reading when trying to piece the story together, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed book one of this series and I'm looking forward to seeing what's next from this series!

I am so happy that I was allowed an ARC of this wonderful book which marks the debut novel of Rowan Ravenheart. The novel was incredible, I cannot believe this is a debut because the language, the worldbuilding and the beauty with which she crafts her world is far beyond many published novelists. The story is based on Arthurian legend with a health dose of magic sewn in. Fated mates who have been separated must come together to face challenges and old gods who oppose them. The language throughout is so rich and well crafted. I CARED about these characters, they were not the run of the mill FMC and MMC we see over and over in Booktok. One of my top reads this year. I cannot wait for more from this author

Calling all fantasy and romantasy lovers 🖤💙🖤💙
If you love incredible atmosphere, beautiful character relationships, books with elements of fantasy worlds and essence of real life British villages, this book is for you.
Our FMC Jesryn is strong and resilient but struggling over commands from the old gods asking her to return to the magic realm when trouble arises.
But this means leaving to mortal realm, the home she’s built and the magic she chose to leave behind, to return to the world of her former mate from whom she fled and a broken realm.
Our MMC Owyn is troubled, haunted by his past and fighting for what he lost when Jesryn fled without explanation with burning passion, and he’s not giving up!
A beautifully atmospheric read, fantastic world building brimming with folklore and old gods, surprising contemporary elements and a beautifully written but tragic love story bringing to bring fate bonded mates back together to save the magic realm.

Loved the cover - storyline delivered on the premise and promise from the start. I definitely think you need to have a gothic more ethereal way of reading style to enjoy this fully.

This is a romantasy that had me hooked from the start. There's magic, love, mythology, and so much more. Jesryn and Owen are a magical couple, and I loved their relationship. I cannot wait for the second book. As an aside, the way this book was written was so beautiful!!

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley, and these opinions are my own.

The Raven &the Lake by Rowen Raveebheart feels like stepping through the Veil into an old legend that has been waiting for you.

Ancient gods, Celtic mythology, Arthurian lore, broken magic, and two former lovers who absolutely have NOT gotten over each other. Jesryn and Owyn bring all the yearning, anger, betrayal, and obsessive devotion I want from a second-chance romantasy.

But what really caught me is the atmosphere. This isn’t just romance wrapped in fantasy. There’s history here. Myth. A dying Faery. Old choices that refuse to stay buried.

If you love your romantasy moody, mythic, slow-burning, and filled with aching tension, put this one on your TBR. It’s definitely worth it! I loved this one ☝️

The Raven & the Lake is a darkly enchanting tale that feels like slipping into a fairy tale with teeth. Ravenheart blends folklore, longing, and quiet menace into a story that moves with a dreamlike rhythm; soft one moment, sharp the next. The atmosphere is thick with mist and magic, and the relationship at the heart of the book carries that perfect mix of tenderness and danger.

The prose is lyrical without losing clarity, the world feels ancient and alive, and the emotional undercurrent keeps you hooked as the story deepens. It’s the kind of book that leaves you feeling like you’ve wandered somewhere beautiful and a little haunted.

This is like a mash up of different legends but it works.
We have Morgan Le Fay and Arthur Pendragon and Gaelic myths running through the threads of the story.

Jesryn is our FMC who both runs from her problems and faces them head on. It’s like the best and worse of my problem solving skills melded into one person…except she has magic <that bitch>

Owyn is our dude. Look he’s a dude but he’s the dude we like to read about. He wants what he wants and is obsessed with what he wants. These are great qualities to read about.

The world has Gods, a fae realm and a human realm. It is both modern and fantasy filled old school. You’re going to be reading a book of contradictions that seam together perfectly.

A beautifully written and enchanting read! I loved the helpful context provided at the beginning of the book. It serves as a fantastic reference guide to keep track of the characters as the story unfolds. The book weaves together Arthurian legend, Avalon, and classic mythology, grounding the magic beautifully by using well-known UK landmarks. While the narrative takes its time to build a rich foundation, the momentum truly takes off the moment the characters arrive in Faery. The addition of Morgan le Fay quotes at the start of each chapter is a wonderfully charming touch that sets the perfect mood. The depth of the folklore and mythology creates an incredibly rich, immersive world. While it offers a rewarding layer of detail that will deeply appeal to dedicated fans of the genre, the overall storytelling remains a thoroughly captivating experience.
While the rich folklore and slow-burn pace weren't quite the right fit for my personal reading tastes, I can definitely see how dedicated fans of Arthurian legend and deep mythology will absolutely love this immersive world

Irish mythology with a hint of camelot..... yes please!!!!

You do need to keep track of the houses, characters and various relationships, so be warned.

The world-building is fabulous, the tombs, the sea, the magic and the different realms, plus all the history!!!!!

All in all this is a phenomenal debut book and I personally cannot wait for Book 2!!!!