Bride of the Shadow King by Sylvia Mercedes

Genre: Fantasy, Romance  

Publishing Info: Audiobook by Podium Audio, narrated by Emily Lawrence and Tim Campbell

Star Rating: 4/5

Back Cover Summary:

Though she is the oldest daughter, Princess Faraine lives in the background, shunned from court and kept out of sight. Her chronic illness makes her a liability to the crown, and she has learned to give place to her beautiful, favored younger sister in all things.

When the handsome and enigmatic Shadow King comes seeking a bride, Faraine is not surprised that her sister is his choice.

Though not eager to take a human bride, King Vor is willing to do what is necessary for the sake of his people. When he meets the lively Princess Ilsevel, he quickly agrees to a marriage arrangement.

So why can’t he get the haunting eyes of her older sister out of his head?

Passionate and alluring, Bride of the Shadow King is an arranged marriage tale with dual points-of-view (his and hers). The first book in a new fantasy romance series, this sweeping tale of love and betrayal is perfect for listeners looking for a touch of spice to go with the sweet in their next swoony, slow-burn romance.

The first book in a trilogy, Bride of the Shadow King is an alluring, beautifully described and well-plotted romantasy novel. With fantastic chemistry between the two protagonists, high stakes and plenty of mystery and intrigue, this was a thoroughly enjoyable fantasy romance. Sylvia Mercedes’ writing flows very well and drew me in right from the start. The audiobook narration is also performed brilliantly, bringing all the characters to life.

From their first meeting, I knew I would be rooting for Faraine and Vor. The time they spend together at the start of the book, as they get to know each other and learn the customs and cultures of their people, was my favourite part. When they were apart, I was longing for them to be back on the page together again. There was one spicy scene in this first novel, though I imagine there may be more to come in the rest of the series.

I liked that though Faraine is not a warrior, assassin, spy or other similar type, she is still a strong character. While I love seeing women being badass fighters in books, it’s also good to see other kinds of women and other kinds of strength represented. There is also chronic illness representation, with Faraine’s magical gift to sense others’ emotions having a cost. The emotions of others can overwhelm her, especially when she is around lots of people or when they make physical contact, leaving her in pain.

Vor is a good-hearted King who cares about his people, and ends up feeling conflicted between doing what’s best for the underealm and following his heart. He is honourable and caring, and treats both the female protagonist and other women in the book with respect.

While the focus is of course on Faraine and Vor, other characters and relationships are not neglected. Faraine has a complicated relationship with her family, but clearly loves her sisters. Her half-sister Lydia was one of the biggest surprises for me. I expected to dislike her, but ended up absolutely loving her character. I hope we get to see more of her in the rest of the series. The interactions between Vor’s entourage were great, and their banter often made me smile and laugh.

The world building was great and I enjoyed how the author created different customs for the humans and the Trolde. The world of the Trolde was also really beautiful and creatively imagined. As well as the romance plotline, there are also large stakes at play for both Faraine and Vor’s people and I felt there was a good balance of time given between the romance and wider conflicts.        

With romance, court intrigue, lies and betrayals, action, twists, a great cast of characters and beautiful worldbuilding, Bride of the Shadow King is an enticing first instalment. With so much still hanging in the balance at the end, I’ll definitely be picking up the second book to see what happens next.