⭐⭐⭐⭐ Was I hooked by that book? Yes. Betrayal from outside and in forces Manu and his mountain elves deeper into the Masters’ plot of domination and the secret uprising determined to stop them, no matter the cost.

I entered a hidden city of power and secrets, only to find myself consumed by him. Body and soul. Strong, unyielding, and impossible to resist, he commands everything around him—including me. Every movement, every word, every heated glance pulls me deeper into his orbit. His touch scorches, his gaze dragging me closer to the edge where passion and danger collide. Darkness lurks around every corner, but desire is the deadliest temptation. I never meant to surrender my heart. But some flames are impossible to fight. And in this world of shadows and lies, I must face what’s burning between us before it destroys us both.

MY THOUGHTS

The insta lust hit our MCs hard and Inej had a difficult time hanging on to her mad for the crimes she thought Manu had committed. She was so desperate to rescue her friend that she didn’t ask a lot of questions before embarking on this quest. That desire burned hot and intense and didn’t die down as they finally succumbed.

Inej’s job baking pies and her growing happiness in that role provided this little pocket of normal amidst all the uncertainty. Her circumstances and her journey to the mountain elves were interesting. She showed a lot of bravery for being the only human in this city filled with powerful elves. I think she forgot at times that she was so much more vulnerable than them. Manu had a way of making her feel that she was more. He came across as a laid-back leader, but that didn’t mean that he was any less invested in keeping his city and his people safe.

The Masters had their evil little claws in all the pies. Nowhere looked to be safe from their insidious malevolence. I was shocked when Manu’s betrayer was unmasked. That totally came out of left field. The action, as usual, was fast and thrilling, with everyone playing well to their strengths. And I loved Rhi and Con’s brief but impactful appearance.

The Elven Kingdoms series forms part of the wider world of Donna Grant’s Dark Universe and can be a good starting point if you’re new to all of this. I think it’s best to read these books in order, though it’s not strictly necessary. Each book introduces a new couple finding their happy-ever-after, but there is a central plot that carries on from book to book.

I can highly recommend this entire universe of books if you like shifters, fae, elves, magic, thrilling action, and steamy romance.

Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Were you hooked by that book? Let me know in the comments below.

Genre: Fantasy Romance
Published: November 11, 2025
Sensuality Rating: Warm
Series: Book 4 of Elven Kingdoms