the rose in the shadows

Rating: ★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 425 pages
Author: Arcadia Rayne
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: April 11th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

“I was not created to back down”

When you’re the last Descendant of the most hated God in all the realms, who can you trust?

Theadora Moore, with no memories of her past life, arrives at the Athenian Palace with magic in her veins and a mark on her chest branding her the last living Descendant of Hyrax, God of the Dead. After seeing her as an opportunity to bolster his nations power, Prince Clayton Vail forces her into a role she never wanted. But when mysterious attacks plague the castle, it becomes clear that not everyone is thrilled about the return of House Hyrax.

To stay alive and uncover her past, Thea must master her powers, navigate treacherous court politics, and decide who she can trust in a castle brimming with the children of Gods.

In this world of magic and intrigue, friendships are fragile, and enemies lurk at every turn. As Thea and Clayton’s fates become increasingly entwined, their icy hostility starts to thaw, igniting a slow-burn romance that will change the realms forever.

The House of Hyrax series is an action-packed slow-burn romance filled with magic and political intrigue, perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and Red Queen.

LOST INTEREST.

This started off well and I was interested in the story unfolding, but as the book went on I started to lose interest or care for anything happening. I feel like aspects such as the romance weren’t well developed and even though it is a slow burn, the couple didn’t spend enough time together for Thea to be declaring she was in love.

And the antagonists were plain. The “bad” king was lack luster and trying too hard. I liked when the meddling gods came into play because I felt like the stakes actually rose at that point. I didn’t mind Thea as the FMC, though the more I think about it, she did go along with everything so easily and I wish there was more pushback.

There’s some intriguing moments and there is a decent amount of action. It’s not unnecessarily long or drawn out, I just think different pieces could have used a little more. I don’t think I’ll continue this series.

Overall audience notes: