Three Tales of Unputdownable Romance by Fantastic Authors!
The Lovely Dark Anthology
Romance Collections & Anthologies, Dark Fantasy Romance, Paranormal Fantasy Romance
Independently published
April 23, 2024
ebook
497
Best-selling fantasy authors Emma Hamm, Juliette Cross, and Zoey Draven present three original, full-length novellas in this delicious and dark monster romance anthology.
Wave Song
Alys Fairweather has always loved the sea. So when her father gets the opportunity to build a city beneath the waves, she is the first in the submarine with him. She never expected to discover an entire species of merfolk living there. And she certainly didn’t expect to find one of them so captivating. But the song of the waves is one she has never been able to deny, even when that temptation comes in the form of a battle scarred merman.
Kings and Bones
When Murgha’s degenerate father bets their last bit of coin and her in a high-stakes game of kings and bones, she fears she will become the property of the lecherous ambassador. But when the most fearsome dark fae she has ever seen steps into the game and wins the pot, she knows her fate is much worse. She is now owned by the enemy.
The Midnight Arrow
Marion enjoys her quiet life in the shadowed woods, selling her healing potions in the village by day and tending to her otherworldly garden by night. But then she saves a devilishly handsome Kylorr, with his powerful wings and sharp fangs, shot through with an arrow and bleeding to death one moonlit night. Her mysterious Kylorr awakens new desires—but she fears he might be hiding dark secrets of his own…
The Lovely Dark Anthology is a collection of three novellas by phenomenally talented fantasy authors: Emma Hamm, Juliette Cross, and Zoey Draven. Each of their novellas is unique, utterly enchanting, and equally as thrilling. I hope you enjoy a little recap and quote from each but I truly think all fantasy romance readers will absolutely swoon for each of these novellas. I cannot even begin to tell you all how much I adored reading each beautiful story and getting to know the characters within.
Wave Song — Emma Hamm
“I see how difficult it is going to be. She cannot stay in the water forever, and I cannot go onto the land. But if I must chase her sunlight across the seas, I will. Just to bask in the light of her smile.”
While it’s not a prerequisite to read Whispers of the Deep prior to beginning this anthology, I believe that readers will appreciate the couple of this delightful novella even more if they did. I know I sure did! Wave Song feels like an historical kind of romance, with some steampunk vibes, but with all the references to a humanity above the waves, Wave Song felt futuristic at its core. I imagined a post-apocalptic Earth where humans needed to find a way to survive and under the sea becomes the reality.
Alys is the daughter of an engineer, and she has the heart of an explorer and conservationist. During one of her exploration trips in a submersible ship, Alys discovers that her people are not the only human-like beings beneath the waves. Alys and Imber’s romance has a fated mates feel, with insta-love despite a language barrier. These two are so good and kind that I couldn’t help but swoon instantly for them. Emma Hamm has a way of storytelling that I fell instantly into the story’s thrall and could not put it down until the very end. I loved the push and pull of the storyline and felt that it rose and fell like it mimicked the waves and ocean currents. Wave Song is truly wonderful.
Kings & Bones — Juliette Cross
“And so,” she began in a trembling voice, “the burden became yours to watch over me.” The pain in her voice and expression was as cutting as a sharp blade sliding deep. “Murgha”—I pulled her glassy gaze to mine—”it is not a burden for me.”
Murgha and Vallon are thrust together unconventionally when he wins her in a betting game. Their journey together during this novella moved quickly but felt completely natural. I loved the magic of this new world, the different fae clans, and the hints at more of what’s to come in this world. Murgha and Vallon’s romance is scorching hot too! Kings & Bones isn’t a captor and captive kind of a story either. As Murgha spends more time with Vallon, more of his past is revealed and sheds light on her own history as well. I simply adore how Juliette is able to craft a story that weaves the characters together so that even the scariest of circumstances feels like it was all meant to be in the grand scheme of things. Juliette Cross always delivers—Kings & Bones is nothing short of wonderful. Readers will also note that this novella takes place in a brand new world and more stories from Juliette will be coming soon!
The Midnight Arrow — Zoey Draven
“Why do you even care?” I whispered harshly, glaring down at him. He wasn’t fazed by my ire, however. “Because I want to know everything about you, Marion.”
A healer witch who tends to her carefully shielded garden and the warrior huntsman whose injury changes the trajectory of Marion’s life forever. Lorik keeps secrets and Marion is nursing her grief yet both are able find solace with one another. I loved the unique world, the witchy vibes, and the overall themes. Grief, forgiveness, kindness, and empathy are all key to Marion and Lorik’s romance. There are so many great lessons to be learned from The Midnight Arrow
. I believe that Marion is such a wonderfully relatable character, and the fact that readers can see how hard Lorik works to win her over is one of the reasons why I was so charmed. My heart was won over by Marion’s familiar, Peek, long before Marion and Lorik got their HEA. I am intrigued by Zoey Draven’s world. I liked knowing that this novella is set on a unique world, and found the magic systems utterly intriguing. I cannot wait to read more.
The Lovely Dark Anthology releases on April 23rd so be sure to get your copy! You won’t want to miss out on this wonderful collection of novellas!
Jes is a self-proclaimed bookworm, who recently moved from the PNW back to the Midwest. When her nose isn’t in a book, she’s spending time with her husband, two kids, and her three fur babies, or exploring the globe. She also firmly believes that you should start the day with coffee, and end the day in bed with a good book.
