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.
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Vow of the Shadow King
by Sylvia MercedesSeries: 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
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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
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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.)
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