• Home
  • About
  • Policies
    • Privacy Policy
    • Copyright
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Republication Policy
    • Review Policy
  • Reviews
    • Sortable Archive
    • Reviews by Author
    • Reviews by Narrator
    • Reviews by SubGenre
    • Reviews by Series
    • Reviews by Year
  • Challenges
    • 2024 FINISHING THE SERIES READING CHALLENGE (Archived)
    • In Death Read-A-Long Challenge
  • Giveaways
  • Author Interviews & Guest Posts

A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog

ARC Review + Spotlight: ‘Vow of the Shadow King’ by Sylvia Mercedes

January 21, 2025

ARC Review + Spotlight: 'Vow of the Shadow King' by Sylvia Mercedes

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of the book from Netgalley, the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog earns a small commission at no extra cost to you from any purchases made through these links. You can read the full disclosure underneath the Privacy Policy.

ARC Review + Spotlight: ‘Vow of the Shadow King’ by Sylvia Mercedes

Vow of the Shadow King

by Sylvia Mercedes
Series: Bride of the Shadow King #2
Published by Ace on January 14, 2025
SubGenres: Fantasy Romance
Format: eArc
Pages: 400
Source: Netgalley, the publisher
Audience: 18+/Adult
Add to Goodreads
Purchase at Amazon | Barnes & Noble
four-stars

To save their realms, they must first rescue their broken marriage in the next sweeping, romantic installment in the Bride of the Shadow King series.

After her deception is discovered, Princess Faraine is trapped in the Shadow Realm and at the mercy of her new husband. She’s surrounded by enemies and far from any allies. Dissolving their marriage alliance would spell disaster for her people, not to mention break her heart.

With the instability in his realm growing daily, King Vor is more desperate than ever to find a solution. Only, it cannot involve his wife. At one time, he thought he might love her, but with his trust irrevocably shattered by her lie, he’s convinced their love cannot possibly flourish.

Circumstances require them to spend more time together, forcing Vor to determine what is truth and what is deceit between him and Faraine. He cannot deny the way his blood stirs in her presence. If their love is truly poisoned beyond recovery, why is there a flicker of hope in the darkness?


NOTE: You need to read the first book, Bride of the Shadow King, before moving on to Vow of the Shadow King. With that being said, I want to give a heads-up about potential spoilers in my review for anyone who hasn’t read the first book yet. 

Vow of the Shadow King picks up where Bride of the Shadow King left off, and as a reader, I was eager to continue the story of Faraine and Vor. I needed to know if Vor would forgive Faraine for her betrayal. In my opinion, it wasn’t entirely her fault; she was forced into that situation because of her family.

I could understand Vor’s frustration and why he had trust issues at the end of the first book and into the second. He believed he had married Faraine’s sister and had come to accept it despite his feelings for Faraine. Now, he’s faced with the difficult decision of what to do about Faraine. Deep down, he knows that the best option is to send her back home, but he struggles to let her go so easily.

Vor really has to be a King in the second book since his people are facing a darkness that has even taken on him a few times, which is why he doesn’t trust easily. He can’t even trust his stepmother and his half-brother. Vor did get on my nerves when it came to keeping Faraine as a prisoner. His conflicting feelings toward her drove me crazy, too. If only he could have understood her situation better. The poor girl has lost the people she loves, and now she’s in a new kingdom without anyone she can trust. Not even the man she has feelings for. 

When it came to Faraine, she’s really growing as a character in the second book. She did get treated as a damsel in distress, but don’t worry she’s going to show her strength and what she has to bring to the table. Everyone definitely underestimated her, even Vor. She’s going to make a true Queen when Vor and his people finally accept her. 

This was another great read in the trilogy that had a lot of twists and turns within it, plus a very slow-burn romance between the two main characters that you are just rooting to be together. I know I was. I give this installment four stars and look forward to reading the final installment soon. I need to know if Vor will save his kingdom and if Faraine will be his wife/queen completely. 

Would I recommend this book/series? Yes, if you enjoy reading Fantasy Romance, then check out this series by Sylvia Mercedes. 


What to Expect:
✔️Arranged Marriage
✔️Betrayal & Heartbreak
✔️Forbidden Romance
✔️Slow Burn Romance


About Sylvia Mercedes

Sylvia Mercedes makes her home in the idyllic North Carolina countryside with her handsome husband, numerous small children, and a menagerie of rescue cats and dogs. When she’s not writing she’s . . . okay, let’s be honest. When she’s not writing, she’s running around after her littles, cleaning up glitter, trying to plan healthy-ish meals, and wondering where she left her phone. In between, she reads a steady diet of fantasy novels.
​
But mostly she’s writing.
​
Sylvia is the author of more than 20 popular Fantasy Romance novels, including the internationally bestselling BRIDE OF THE SHADOW KING trilogy. She is represented by Amanda Jain at BookEnds Literary Agency.

Website | Goodreads | Newsletter


Related Posts

  • By Sylvia Mercedes
  • Same Genre
  • Bride of the Shadow King Series
ARC Review: ‘Bride of the Shadow King’ by Sylvia Mercedes
Blog Tour: ‘Promise of Darkness’ by Bec McMaster (Review + #Giveaway) #Romanceopoly
Review: ‘Blood on the Tide’ by Katee Robert
ARC Review: ‘The Great and Terrible’ by Gena Showalter
Review: ‘Breath of Fire’ by Amanda Bouchet
Review: ‘Pestilence’ by Laura Thalassa
ARC Review: ‘Bride of the Shadow King’ by Sylvia Mercedes

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
FranJessca
FranJessca
Owner/Reviewer at A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog
I guess I should type a bio here. I'm FranJessca, or Fran for short. I'm the owner/reviewer behind A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog. I've been reading and reviewing books on my blog since leaving the Navy in 2011, and I will keep doing it as long as possible. My favorite genres will always be Romance & Fantasy, and I read every subgenre underneath those two genres. (Sorry, not a fan of nonfiction, so don't try to convince me to read it.)
My obsession with reading started over 30+ years ago when I went to my first Scholastic Book Fair and found R.L. Stine's Fear Street series. Later, I came across Anne Rice's novels at my public library when I was fourteen when my obsession with vampires started. I was the girl who preferred to be a vampire over a princess any day. My husband says I would leave him a heartbeat for a vampire that looked like Spike or Angel (from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) or Damon Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries. (It's true, though, and he's accepted it.)
FranJessca
Latest posts by FranJessca (see all)
  • Happy Release Day + Giveaway: ‘Bracing The Storm’ by J.C. Reed - May 27, 2025
  • ARC Review: ‘Restless Hawke’ by Gwyn McNamee - May 26, 2025
  • ARC Review: ‘From Drummer to Gamer’ by Emberlynn Raine - May 25, 2025

Share this post:

Share on X (Twitter) Share on Facebook Share on Pinterest Share on Email
4 Star ReviewsArranged MarriageBook Read 2025Book Reviews 2025Bride of the Shadow King TrilogyForbidden RomanceSlow Burn RomanceSylvia Mercedes

About the Blogger

About the Blogger

My name is FranJessca. I wear many hats: I'm a Wife, Mom, Navy Veteran, Shy Introvert, Tattooed, Romance and Fantasy Reader, and Book Blogger.

Follow FranJessca

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Bloglovin'
  • Amazon
  • Instagram
  • Goodreads

Currently Reading

ARC Review: ‘Salvatore’ by Eden SummersReview: ‘Tangle of Need’ by Nalini Singh

Books Reviewed in 2025

A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog has reviewed 61 books this year.

49%

May Reviews

  • Restless Hawke by Gwyn McNamee
  • From Drummer to Gamer by Emberlynn Raine
  • Broken Souls and Bones by L.J. Andrews
  • Rebel Hawke by Gwyn McNamee
  • You Can Die by Rebecca Zanetti
  • Broken Butterfly by Jennilynn Wyer
  • Beautiful Mess by Ashley James
  • Decker by Eden Summers
  • Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry
  • Archangel's Ascension by Nalini Singh
  • Wild Invitation by Nalini Singh
  • The Wind Weaver by Julie Johnson
  • Kiss of Snow by Nalini Singh

FTC Disclosure/Info

In accordance with the current FTC disclosure rules for bloggers & reviewers, the books you see reviewed on A Book Lovin’ Mama’s Blog are either purchased by me or procured from NetGalley, Edelweiss, directly from the author or publisher or PR company in an exchange for an honest review. I do not receive compensation of any kind for the reviews.

Purchases made through buy links (Amazon specifically) may result in a small commission, which helps support the blog and fund giveaways.

Please review the Policies above on the Menu Bar.

© 2012- 2025 A Book Lovin Mama's Blog, All Rights Reserved.

Site Design by JennJ Designs