Think twice if…
- Content warnings: Blood, Gore, Injury detail, Violence, Death, Classism, Poverty, Food insecurity, Grief, Death of loved one, Childhood trauma, Sexual content
Bride of Ashes
by Alaya Wells
Book 1 in Kingdom of Shadow and Ruin
The pull here is the triangle under the treaty: Reyla, Merrick, and Lore all want things duty makes dangerous. Come for fae-court intrigue and stay because the book is absolutely ready to ruin your plans for book two.
goodreads 4.06/5 1,367 ratings
storykind_community 4/5 1 rating
Quick fit
Is this story right for you?
A decision-first view of the reading experience.
Length584 pages
Series statusCompleted series · 4 books
Spice4/5 · Passionate / intense
PacingMedium
Story profile
What the story promises
The strongest reviewed signals about romance, fantasy, and the reading experience.
Romance promise
- Forbidden love
- Male/female pairing (M/F)
- Medium burn
- High
- Passionate / intense
- The angst delivered
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- King / ruling monarch
- Enemies to lovers
- Slow seduction
- Book hangover incoming
- Grumpy protector
- Possessive love interest
- Possessive / claiming
- Obsessed
- Morally gray
- Protective love interest
- Marking / biting
- Adrenaline rush
- Possessive alpha
- Power imbalance
- Primal / feral style
- Hurt/comfort
- Tension / anticipation
- He falls first
- Possessive/protective
- Touch her and die
- Tension
- Slow burn
- Anticipation
- Longing glances
- Jealous/possessive during intimacy
- Primal play (hunting/chasing)
- Bonding/claiming/marking
- Possessive
Fantasy promise
- Romantasy
- Fae romance
- Royal court / palace
- High fantasy
- Fae
- Arranged marriage
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- Ship / at sea
- Fae realm / faerie courts
- Marriage of convenience
- Castle / fortress
- Gothic
- Bodyguard/protection detail
- Secret heir/royalty
- Political intrigue
- Love triangle
- Revenge romance
Reading experience
- Multi-POV
- Medium
- Heavy
- Royalty
- Romantic
- Lush
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- Survivor
- Dark
- Emotional
- Damaged survivor
- Angsty
- Suspenseful
- Reluctant hero
- Atmospheric
- Yearning
- Fae courts and politics
- Forbidden desire
- Court of shadows
- Cliffhanger warning
- Series binge material
- Protect at all costs
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Matched by the most important shared story signals, with the tradeoffs made explicit.
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Similar because
Hurt/comfort · Gothic · Grumpy protector
Different because
Spice is lower (2/5 vs 4/5). A shorter read (468 vs 584 pages).
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Similar because
King / ruling monarch · He falls first · Political intrigue
Different because
Fast pacing rather than Medium.
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Similar because
Hurt/comfort · Gothic · Grumpy protector
Different because
Spice is lower (3/5 vs 4/5). A shorter read (432 vs 584 pages).
Book details
- Length
- 584 pages
- Language
- English
- Format
- Book