Steel Heart Iron Claws: A Dark Forbidden Fantasy

The Godkissed Bride #3

by Evie Marceau

The fae gods have woken…and they’re merciless.

Sabine finally had a chance at a life with Basten. Simple. Free. But gods and men conspired to rip them apart. Now, on the eve of war, Sabine is trapped in her father’s secret-shrouded court, prized as the gods’ new plaything. She clings to memories of Basten, the only thing that grounds her in the dangerously bewitching new world. She’ll play along in a desperate gamble to escape—but if she slips and shows her true hand, she’ll be separated from Basten forever.

Basten is haunted by a love he can’t remember. Her face, her name—gone. But her scent lingers, and midnight dreams of his mystery woman torment him. His mind is a black pit of frustration and longing, driving him to question everything he once knew to be true. He follows his obsession north to Sabine’s doorstep, where their paths will collide in a deadly game between them and the gods. And the gods don’t like to lose.

In this thrilling third installment in the Godkissed Bride series, Sabine and Basten cross worlds to reunite before they’re permanently lost to one another—even in memory.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Fantasy Romance, Romance, Fae, Audiobook, Magic

450 pages, Paperback

Published October 22, 2024

About the author

It's possible I was born in the wrong time. I've always been drawn to the past, the future, other worlds—basically anywhere but the here and now. I write fantasy to satisfy my nagging curiosity that there is more out there, just beyond the veil.

Until I find a portal through a magical armoire, I'll continue writing romantic fantasies with a touch of darkness and hint of magic.

I'm the author of fantasy romance sagas include The Godkissed Bride series and The Castles of the Eyrie series.

Reviews

[Evie Marceau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steel Heart Iron Claws (The Godkissed Bride Book Three) is coming this fall!!!!!

Preorder here: https://www.amazon.com/Steel-Heart-Ir...

The listed pub date is October 29, 2024, but that is tentative. Hopefully, I will be able to bring this book to you significantly sooner. I'm in the thick of writing it now and cannot wait to share--this story follows Sabine and Basten as they are thrown to opposite corners of the world, ready to crawl across heaven and hell to find their way back to one another.

And yes, there are new sassy animal sidekicks ☁️🦊

[Anastasia ｼ · Rating 5 out of 5]

╭ ✦ •
│ ⊹ 𝟻 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜, 𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚕 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚜𝚘𝚘𝚗 ⊹
╰ ✦ •

EVIE!! MY HEART CAN'T TAKE THESE ENDINGS OMG
THE ENDING WAS EVERYTHING! (gave me Bella Swan's vampire awakening vibes but a million times better)


This series keeps getting better and better, I cant wait for book 4 😭😭

rtc!

────── ✧ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ♡ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ✧ ──────

⊹ 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓽 ⊹

❥Fae
❥Godkissed (magic powers)
❥Gods/Goddesses
❥Magical creatures
❥Strong FMC
❥jaw-dropping twists


pre-review:
IM SCREAMING I JUST GOT AN ARC OF THIS, IM SCARED TO START IT!!

Thank you Evie Marceau😭😭

[shaelinslibrary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fear Basten and Sabine will never get a moment to REST.

This book was a bit slower than the last book, but I still enjoyed it. The court intrigue, and the love story was really great, though!

I neeeeed book 4 after that brutal cliffhanger!

4 stars ⭐️

[LKCREADS · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’ve always wished there was a fantasy romance book that had Aragorn vibes… I’d like to introduce you to… what could possibly be my favorite fantasy romance series… of all time… The Godkissed Bride series.

If you’ve been around for a minute… you know… I am absolutely obsessed with this series.

I had the honor, the privilege, nay, the pleasure… of reading the third book in the series ahead of its release date. And I can just say one thing. Evie… you have… outdone yourself.

The fae gods have woken…and they’re merciless.

Sabine finally had a chance at a life with Basten. Simple. Free. Gods and men conspired to rip Sabine and Basten apart. Now, on the eve of war, Sabine is trapped in her father’s secret-shrouded court, prized as the gods’ new plaything. She’ll play along in a desperate gamble to escape—but if she slips and shows her true hand, she’ll be separated from Basten forever.

Basten is haunted by a love he can’t remember. Her face, her name—gone. But her scent lingers, and midnight dreams of his mystery woman torment him. His mind is a black pit of frustration and longing, driving him to question everything he once knew to be true. He follows his obsession north to Sabine’s doorstep, where their paths will collide in a deadly game between them and the gods. And the gods don’t like to lose.

This is without a doubt the most romantic story I have ever read, and yet it’s absolutely layered in politics and world building that is so vast and expansive you will truly be glued to the pages.

Every book in this series gets better and better and has me screaming and pulling my hair out in frustration and honestly… I’m loving every minute of it.

This book is cold magic, living shadows, and etherial dark beauty that whispers in your ear.

This book has such a strong love to it. It’s a deep love. It warms your soul.

“Destined to find one another. But it’s more than that, isn’t it? It’s about choice - choosing you each time, in every lifetime, cost be damned.”

Would your man carve your name into his arm so he doesn’t forget it under a memory spell? That’s the new litmus test for how much he loves you… I don’t make the rules I just announce them.

“You’ll need to bluff. Know when to fold. Most importantly, know who holds the winning cards.”

If you’re ready for politics and plot first with a delicious hint of spice and when the spice hits it hits… HARD…. You have GOT to read these books.

“When I leave this place, I won’t just walk away, I’ll carry vengeance with me. I’ll destroy everyone who’s wronged me, break every hand that’s fallen on me in violence. One by one. I’ll ruin them all.”

This is probably one of the best series with feminine rage that I have read. Sabine is probably one of my top three favorite female main characters of all time. I love her so much, I want to protect her and then I realize… she’s good, she can protect herself.. lolol.

Her connection to animals and the animal friends she makes along the way will LITERALLY make your heart burst.

This quote had me putting the book down to silently weep… “You can’t go around burning down the world because it hurt you.” As much as this is a fun fantasy with magic and romance… it’s so much more. This series is full of heart and hard choices. It’s full of courage and stepping into the role you were born to be in even if it scares you. Simply put, this series inspires me.

The writing in this series is so beautiful I find my eyes watering all the time at the beauty and thought put into every sentence.

“My heart clenches like that moth that’s finally captured its flame and lived to tell the tale.”

Is there spice? Ya... ya there’s spice…

I will never look at a food pantry the same way again… and I’m ok with that…

“Be a good girl” is my new favorite quote…

I might be in the minority here but I LIVE for cliffhangers… I want to be so shocked, so stunned, so flabbergasted that I either throw the book out the window or collapse on the floor… and that’s exactly what I did. My heart is very happy to have read the next book in this series and it will be full of longing until I can get the fourth book in my hands.

[Anyssa Kindle · Rating 5 out of 5]

EVIE EVIE EVIE YOU DONE DID IT AGAIN!! 🫣🫶🏾
I want say thank you to the author and her team with getting me this ARC. I am so blessed. 🥹
DOES CONTAIN SPOILERS BUT COULD ALSO MAKE YOU WANT TO READ THE SERIES SO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK ⚠️
Sabine and Basten’s story continues in this amazing, descriptive, emotional, and enchanting journey of love. From the very beginning, you know Sabine and Basten are mates and though that man don’t have his memories anymore he still feels her and he does everything he can to get to her. What a man. Also, Sabine continues to grow and grow. From book one to now to watch her become who she is was amazing to read. The ending omg omg omg. I need book four right now!! Evie does so well writing characters that pull emotions out of you. You hate the fae Gods from the beginning and bro I knew they sneaky devils but to stab your own daughter in the heart just wild. Idc if he brings her back. Betrayal. I was pissed and crying but I know my girl gonna back with revenge on the mind. Let’s go. I love this series so much. Please read it. 5/5 ❤️‍🔥 4/5 🌶️ not as much spice as the rest but still beautifully written smut 😅

[Suirene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I CANNOT WAIT!!
also I can't be the only one who wants more of Rian right...?🫣

Update:
...this didn't age well

[Olivia · Rating 1 out of 5]

update: ive just found out this has been dragged out into a 5 book series and book 4 has a threesome and love triangle. Won’t be continuing this series

Review prior to the above:

I need to preface that I really love this series as a whole, and Sabine/Basten.


spoilers:

When the lost memory trope happened in book 2, I was really sceptical because A. This was supposed to be a trilogy, and doing that at the end of book 3 is ridiculous, And B. Lost memory tropes are just lazy IMO. It’s a cheap and easy way to create tension throughout a book where little plot progression happens.

Unfortunately that’s what Basten losing his memories feels like. The fact that he still goes to find her because his “heart feels something” really negates the fact that he’s lost his memories. Seriously, the plot wouldn’t have changed 1% if he’d kept his memories. What, he would have gone straight after her instead of dicking around for 2 weeks as Rian’s right hand man? Quite literally 0 plot changes when you exclude that. It’s like that Indiana Jones movie where Indiana didn’t have to do anything and it would have been the same outcome. Sabine captured, Rian betraying her, Basten turning against Rian, Basten going to Volkang, Sabine’s actions while there - seriously, nothing changes if you kept his memories. Their relationship definitely would have felt less instalust on his part, and like he has crawled through glass to get back to her because he knows the foundation of why he’s getting to her.

The chapters spent on the hunt between Basten and Artain were a really odd use of book progression, with no plot progression.

Sabine’s death at the end, and then being brought back; just yawn. Been there, done that, with a 1000 other romantasy books. Just stop killing our protagonists off and then letting them come back. What’s the point?

The whole betrayal from Rian and Sabine finding her footing with the Faye gods is enough of a plot twist to tie this off in a trilogy as opposed to dragging it out. Will I still read book 4? Yes, because I’m a masochist. Just disappointing where the story has gone when book 1 and 2 felt so strong for me in terms of story and character development.

Sigh.

[Brie Baba · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing quality of this book took a nosedive (and it wasn’t fantastic to begin with) and the plot was a snoozefest.

The inconsistencies/plot mistakes drive me nuts with these books!
- Ok so Rian didn’t know about his true parentage until grandma told him about it at which time he made a deal with Basten that he could have Sabine if he gave him his blood. Then Basten and Sabine run into the forest, have sex, and then Iyre is there to capture Sabine. And SUPPOSEDLY she knew Sabine’s location because Rian sent a messenger crow to King Rachillon? How fucking fast is this crow?? To fly to another kingdom in less than a day’s time? Not only that, but it would need a way to get through the wards, so it would need to find one of the breaches to go through, and Rian (so far as we know) only knows of one breach in the wall that took him and Basten four days’ ride to reach. It makes no sense.
- How is Basten able to talk to animals and they understand him? I thought that was Sabine’s godkiss??? And Torr is somehow literate and is able to write human letters/words with his hoof? Seems like a convenient loophole to move the plot along… reeeal convenient.
- Sabine is at a party and Artain gives her ale and she sniffs it and grimaces and pushes it back to him and asks for wine instead. Ok, now she has wine and she’s drinking it. {a few moments later} “I down the rest of my ale, then slam the flagon on a table” I thought she was drinking wine? {a few moments later} “I’ve had way too much wine” Okay so it WAS wine?
- “We’ve been caught before… you don’t remember… the altar at Lord Berolt’s funeral.” What?? Don’t you mean the altar at *Midtane*? Where Berolt was very much alive and present catching you two in the act?
- THE COIN TOSS. In the previous book, Rian says “that coin is weighted to always land on Scepter.” Well, in this book, Sabine picks Serpent, and even goes as far as questioning whether she remembered the correct side or not, and then somehow won because it landed on Serpent. Whaaaat?? When she picked Serpent I was like ha dumbass you picked wrong… but then she still won?


I hate the main characters. Hate them. Combined, they don’t have two brain cells to rub together, and they suck SO much (detailed below).

I hate Basten:
- He’s such a caveman. In a lot more ways than one. His “love” of Sabine is still just sexual only and that’s all he can freaking think about.
- “These bastards really expect [me] to comb my hair daily.” & “Fantastic. Exactly what I need right now, on top of… a fancy new title that means I have to bathe regularly.” — Heaven forbid you don’t look and smell like a sewer rat!!!
- “Whoever the former First Sword was, I hope he appreciated the luxuries bestowed upon him. Because I sure as hell don't. Give me a campfire and moss for a bed.” Ughhhh Basten is just soooo #NotLikeOtherBoys

I hate Sabine:

- Sabine at one point says, “I will never be able to take seriously a god who refuses to wear a shirt.” Honey, your boyfriend refuses to wash his ass. Sort out your priorities.
- The fae have a contest of who can clean up Vale’s Hall using their power in the coolest way(?) Which is weird in itself. And they ask Sabine to participate. She fills the hall with animals that eat all their food and make a huge mess (clearly NOT the goal of the game) yet she is declared the winner? And my favorite part - “…and then the crowd erupts.” Am I reading a Reddit post or a book?
- Sabine has no love for wildlife, it’s just a front. She will do heinous things to nature if she directly benefits from it. One, she starts a FOREST FIRE to mask her scent. Flora and fauna alike, decimated, because it gives her a slight edge in a silly competition. (And as far as I’m aware, no one makes any effort to put out the fire). Two, “I'm a monster. I got all of them except the buck killed. No. No—if anyone here is a monster, it's the man with the arrows.” Omg… the copium! It WAS definitely your fault. You forced deer to attack Artain (charge him and stab him with their antlers) and he defended himself. After the wildcat incident in the first book you swore you would never use an animal to attack someone else again because it ends up with them getting hurt or killed, yet you KEEP DOING IT. The tiger, the cloudfox, and now the deer.
- Then she uses the deer AGAIN (what, 30 minutes later?) to attack Basten. He’s trying to save her life and she has a buck stab him multiple times in the chest with his antlers, almost killing him. She cries “Why didn’t you stop? I didn’t want to do this to you!” Wow. Spoken like the abusive partner she is.

It’s probably a fool’s errand to be rooting for Rian at this point, but I am. He’s probably going to die because he’s the “antagonist” or whatever. As far as I’m concerned, this whole story is from the POV of the villains and Rian is actually the true protagonist.


Last but not least… Please, Evie, I’m begging you to say “ribs” or “stomach” or “belly” or “gut” or “abdomen” …ANYTHING besides “solar plexus” — it’s driving me insane.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a tough review for me. I love this series and will definitely read the next. I just didn’t enjoy alot of this story line. I also thought Basten’s character changed too much. I don’t know something was just off for me.

[Tina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Steel Heart, Iron Claws — more like Plot Holes, Bad Prose, and Why Am I Still Here?

Books 1 and 2? Guilty pleasures. Were they literary masterpieces? No. But they were fun and messy in a way that scratched a very specific brain itch. Book 3, though? This one yeeted itself off a narrative cliff and took my last remaining shred of interest with it.

The writing—which was already teetering on the edge of “meh”—took a nosedive straight into nonsense. The plot holes?? Titanic-level. Florida-sinkhole-level. Just... bottomless. Characters became caricatures of themselves, Sabine lost all the spark that made her interesting, and her decision-making now makes me want to bonk her on the head with the “bad choices” bat.

AND THEN. That ending. That cliffhanger. I honestly thought this was a trilogy, so imagine my deep, soul-sucking annoyance when I reached the end only to be greeted with a cliffhanger that led absolutely nowhere because, plot twist, the story barely moved forward at all.

I no longer care about the war. Or the fae. Or the gods. Or Bastien's brooding. Consider this my formal resignation from this series. 2 stars, and the only reason it’s not 1 is because I technically didn’t DNF. But emotionally? I checked out around page 76.

May the fae gods smite me if I ever return.

[Meg (fantasybook.adventurer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨Steel Heart Iron Claws✨

Here we are again! Back in the world of Basten and Sabine and their wild adventures. Steel Heart Iron Claws is book 3 in The Godkissed Bride series and @eviemarceaubooks does NOT disappoint, bringing us a new version of a common trope with a beautifully tragic and sweetly hopeful twist, along with high stakes, deeper world building, and our favorite star-crossed lovers. Coming to you October 29, you have plenty of time to read books 1&2 (beginning with White Horse Black Nights) and, if you want a spicy Romantasy with an epic love, THIS IS FOR YOU.

As we open the first pages, we fall into familiar and new lands alongside Sabine and Basten- right where we left off from that so mean cliffy in book 2. Not a moment is wasted as these two journey and uncover secrets, betrayals, and hidden identities at every turn. But despite the odds ever against them, they will fight any force to the death to be together. Life. Fae bargains. New love. Death. I cannot speak highly enough of this third book- where Evie both breaks us down to build us back up and then leaves us on the precipice of hope, loss, and a festering vengeance.

The PLOT TWISTS!!! The revelations! THE SPICE. Every moment in Basten’s head was like dancing in the rain with a smirk, a dagger, and a glint in your eye. He is the epitome of a man on fire for his woman. Sabine, her compassion and love knows no ends. I am so thankful for it and I have a feeling we will get to see a darker side too… and I utterly cannot wait.

Tropes you may find in SHIC are star-crossed lovers, deeper lore and world exploration, plot twists, political intrigue, hidden identities, betrayals, our favorite horsey and animal friends, medium spice, powder sugar kink, and one hospitable bed.

Thank you so much, Evie, for letting me be on your hype and arc team. I have so enjoyed this gifted arc and I’m dying for book 4.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m sadly pretty disappointed with this book, book 1 and 2 were 5 star reads but this one fell short. I’m not a fan of the amnesia trope and I didn’t love how it was used in this story, I thought it took away from the characters and their agency.

I also didn’t understand the rationale for the decisions Sabine made, especially during a forest encounter near the end of the book. She was trying to avoid something happening so instead she made it happen herself? It felt like very little happened in the majority of this book until the end, and then the twist kind of felt predictable and made Sabine less cool. This book lacked the tension that was so amazing in book 1 and 2 which was a real bummer!

[Lena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Evie Marceau for the gifted arc!
I seriously love this series so much. It’s truly romantasy at its finest.
RTC

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌 ✨
📖: Steel Heart Iron Claws (The Godkissed Bride, Book 3)

𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴.

With the threat of the awakened gods, war is looming. Our MCs are also grappling with the turmoil following the aftermath in Book 2. Lifelong beliefs and loyalties are tested, promises are broken, and love is shattered by loss.

Tropes:
👀 Dual POV
⛔️ Forbidden love
🏛️ Gods, fae, magic
🚫 Touch her & 💀
🏰 Courtly intrigue
🐾 Sassy (& de@dly) animal sidekicks
🔥 Slow burn 🌶️

The sassy animal sidekicks really shine in this thrilling installment and we also get to meet some new intriguing characters 👀

Our sweet Sabine finally learns more about the true state of the world and the king who set out to capture her at any cost. She must navigate her precarious circumstances and decide who to trust. But will she ever find a place to call home? After losing himself, will our brooding Basten answer the call of his heart in spite of his allegiances?

Steel Heart Iron Claws sends the reader on a perilous journey filled with dangerous fae bargains, deep betrayals, heartache, and the promise of retribution. After this cliffhanger ending, I am begging to know what happens next!

Huge thanks to the author for the ARC opportunity! This is my honest and voluntary review

[Hailey Goshert · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️ these cliffhangers really are going to be the death of me. Evie…. when i catch you, Evie….🫵🏻

in all seriousness tho, i’ll admit i was NOT excited to start this book due to the way book 2 ended. pleasantly surprised to say that some of my least favorite tropes (amnesia and the main couple being physically distanced from each other) were done pretty well, and we got answers/resolutions way quicker than i expected!

i’ve had an inkling since book 1 that something fishy was going on with these immortal fae, and now i have confirmation that i was indeed not crazy for those thoughts🤫

i check Evie’s goodreads account literally every day to see if there’s any news on when the next book will be coming out because i simply cannot cope with this cliffhanger much longer. i need answers NOW !!!

[Jaja · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You promised me once that you’d cut out your beating heart if I asked you to. You said you’d crawl across kingdoms for me on hands and knees. You can’t…possibly still feel like that? Since I’m a stranger now?”

“Sabine,” he says slowly, tipping my chin up with one finger. “Cut out my heart? Little violet, I’d cut out a thousand hearts.”

I was extremely lucky to get an arc for this book and now that’s what IM TALKING ABOUT. The plot is plotting, the story is thickening, basten is BASTENING. I was a bit annoyed at the end of the 2nd book and the fae thing could have been very similar to what we usually get but there is something that just works for me. I can’t wait for the rest !!!

[🌙henny✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I NEED BOOK 4 YESTERDAY WHY THE FUCK DID I START AN INCOMPLETE SERIES????????

I am going to die. I can feel my bones quaking. BASTEN BOWBORN MORE LIKE BASTEN YEARNBORN!!!!!! Fucking HELL what an exquisite work of literature. What a fantastic body of art. What a masterpiece of pining. I can’t believe it’s over. I’m devastated. I have TWO MONTHS TO WAIT. I wish I could sleep until release day.

Basten… I will love him forever. Sabine the Queen will too. The way this man worships her. HE HAD NO MEMORIES OF THIS WOMAN!!!!! BUT THEY COULDN’T TAKE HIS LOVE!!!! I’m screaming. The first 30% where they were feeling bleak and setting stuff up dragged just a little bit but after that mark I was glued to my iPad nibbling on my nails at every revelation. I would throw myself off a bridge for these characters. I would jump into an active volcano. I would bury myself alive. I’m obsessed. I cannot be calmed. I will be thinking about this series on the daily until the next book arrives.

If you don’t want to be hit by an incomplete series stealing your soul then I do NOT recommend starting this yet. Otherwise you might want to off yourself as well.

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gods I love this series so much!

With each installment in the Godkissed Bride series, we get some answers and little puzzle pieces clicking together while also getting a host of new questions and obstacles. It is addicting.

I absolutely love the world-building and magic system Evie has created and continues to expand on with every book. This book was the perfect blend of political intrigue and romance; Sabine and Basten are the epitome of 'against all odds' and I will always be rooting for them.

This was pretty fast-paced, never a dull moment and the ending gave me emotional whiplash. The wait for book 4 is going to be torture!!

Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC. This review reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.

[Thenerdypsych · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wowsers that ending 🤯🫠 Hold on to your butts!

⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️.🫑 (Very chatty MMC 😂)

Book 3 of The Godkissed Bride series has me reeling and dying for the next book! A LOT happens in SHIC that I can't address without spoiling but 🤯😱 There are plot twists on top of plot twists and we learn a lot more about Volkany and the Immortal Fae Court. We spend the majority of this book in Volkany while Sabine learns more about why she's there. She finds herself immersed in a dangerous world, not knowing who (if anyone) she can trust. Basten does his best to piece together all that he has lost. I cried for Basten more than once, his devotion for a love he couldn't remember was soul destroying. There's a lot of juicy foreshadowing surrounding some of the Volkany natives and we find out more about how things transpired at the end of Silver Wings Golden Games 🫠

While I absolutely adore this story and cannot wait to keep reading the reason book 3 was a 4 ⭐ read and not 5 might be down to personal preference but hey ho, this is my personal review so I'll explain. I enjoy the starcrossed lovers/forbidden romance trope(s) to a certain extent but to go on for 3 books is a too much for me. It's almost like emotional overkill, I'm tired of feeling nothing but anxiety for the characters and their love for each other. I want to experience more with them and there are other ways to develop that depth within their relationship. I sure as hell hope they get their happy ending and that it's not 2 books away 😭

✨ Thank you Evie for this early review copy. My views are my own ✨

[Athina Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book? This series? Has me questioning reality, my personality, and whether I’ve ever actually read a good book before this. Evie Marceau has completely blown my entire fucking mind off its hinges.

I’m an annoying reader—I overthink, try to guess plot twists, play psychic with every page turn. But in this book? I didn’t guess ONE single thing. Not one. Every chapter was a sucker punch to my soul in the best way. I had to keep closing the book just to breathe. Plot twists? Violent. Love story? Ethereal. World-building? I want to move in and pay property taxes.

Evie’s writing is fucking insane—in a genius way, not a red flag way. She's like if a Greek god, a master manipulator, and a poet had a chaotic baby and gave it caffeine. She builds these characters with so much depth and emotion, I legit feel like I’m cheating on real life when I read this.

I want to live in her brain. I want to be her friend. I want to shake her and scream HOW DID YOU THINK OF THIS?!

Book Four needs to drop like, yesterday. I am unwell. I am feral. This series is now tattooed on my soul.

[Pandora · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Show the gods that they’re not the only ones with domain over this world."

Oh my god.
Oh my effing god. That ending!!!
Evie Marceau you sure know how to write an insane cliffhanger ending. I can't rest until I have book four in my hands.
I loved every moment of this book. Sabine and Basten are everything. Not to mention our favourite 'murder horse' (as Basten refers to him, though I do prefer murder unicorn) and the variety of other delightful animal creatures that come to Sabine's aid. This story, like the ones before it, is sure to keep you on edge because there's always a twist coming.

[Sab · Rating 1 out of 5]

BOOOO. So lame. the characters are dumb and this was full of stupid fluff. The lost memory trope is so lazy and annoying.

[eclecticbychoicereads · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heart was Evie's ever since I read White Horse Black Nights, Book 1 of her Godkissed Bride series.
And then I had the honour of ARC reading books 2 & 3. What an honour it was!

Evie knows how to break and unbreak your heart a million times, how to make you not want to eat or sleep until you read the last sentence, and how to hold your breath until the following book is finally in your hands. That is Evie for you.

Steel Heart Iron Claws, Book 3 of the series, is set to be released on October 29th. Just in case you haven't yet, you have just enough time to dive deep into Sabine and Basten's story and be fully prepared for the rollercoaster of emotions that is Steel Heart Iron Claws. Oh, it was the ride of my life!

Steel Heart Iron Claws continues right where we left off at the end of Silver Wings Golden Games, where Evie left us in a puddle after that cliffhanger. The heartbreak both Basten and Sabine experience throughout is so painful to watch, yet it is empowering to see them fight for each other with such vigour and fierceness. Even with his memories taken away, Basten still holds onto the fragments of Sabine he has left, those fleeting feelings he keeps experiencing. His POVs were devastatingly beautiful, and he truly epitomises a perfect morally grey MMC who will bend the world to find his mate.

My heart was constantly skipping its beats while reading; I was on the edge of my seat, needing to know what would happen next. There were so many twists and turns, so many mysteries, and so many revelations. Honestly, at times, I was gasping. And then, that ending... Wow, no words left. So powerful, so raw and heart-wrenching. You could feel the tension and the emotions running through. How will I continue living until Book 4 is in my hands? I don't know, but I will try. Evie, my heart is in your hands.

Steel Heart Iron Claws will gift you:
- a dark romantasy to make & break your heart
- a perfect setting for the grand finale
- a deeper understanding of the world & the lore
- star-crossed lovers
- memory loss trope executed masterfully
- secrets & betrayals
- hidden identities
and a story to live in your head rent-free forever!

[bipolar_bookbish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well dang. The narrative lost something for me with this one. I can't pinpoint exactly what it is, but something was off. I still enjoyed the story, and I'm curious where it's going next. I'm a little nervous about reading the 4th book considering fans of this series don't seem happy with a choice the author made. I hope my library gets it soon so I don't forget what I've read. 😅

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series has everything I crave in Romantasy 👏 incredible world-building, palpable tension and angst, and characters you can’t help but fall for and cheer on with everything you’ve got. The lengths Basten and Sabine will go for each other are truly endless. Oh, and that confectionery scene? Utter perfection.
5⭐️ series so far and I’ll be very impatiently waiting for the next 2 books!

[Shannon K G · Rating 5 out of 5]

You may laugh, you may cry, you may throw the book across the room and stare into the abyss for 20 minutes. But this book is worth every minute of your time to read.

It's a fantastic next installment to the Godkissed Bride and leaves you craving more.

Basten and Sabine's love for one another is top tier. They face so many odds, but their hearts devotion is 🤌 And every sidekick is the perfect addition. I definitely feel like I'm lacking a monoceros in my life.

[Riley_Ann♌️]

October 29, 2024

[Ida Korhonen · Rating 5 out of 5]

No thoughts, just Evie Marceau has me in a chokehold. I’m obsessed. I devoured it, I dream about it, I talk about it nonstop. This book is my Roman Empire and I’m not shutting up anytime soon 🫶

[Mabezz ✨🍃 · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG

what!!

You cannot end it like that!!!


The third return has begun and absolutely no one is ready


So, I’ve never done this but I re read most of Sabine chapters from when she meets the Blades to when Basten is brought to Volkany. From the very start Artain is almost desperate for her to spend the night with him. It’s almost so obvious now.

The constant, we are doing things differently this time, what does that mean? Also is Iyre being so blasé about her powers, she doesn’t seem as interested as the others. I think Solene never wanted to be a God or with Artain. I think she is Aria from Alessanthas stories

I have 4 theories;
She is Immortal Solene- though I think that is too obvious
She is the daughter of Solene, Isabeau was the disguise
Or plot twist, Myst is Solene

Songs of choice: Which witch Florence and the machine, King by Florence and the machine, and Girl Gone by Chincilla

[Adrianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 3rd book in the Godkissed Bride series. If you haven't read any of these yet, run!

The drama and intrigue in this book kept me captivated the entire time I was reading. There is so much betrayal, you don't know who to trust and who to believe.

The FMC, Sabine, truly comes into her own in this book, and I was delighted to see her own her strengths.

This book in particular features badäss sidekicks, cute sidekicks, spicy dreams, and even body shots off a god...👀
This series is definitely one of my top romantasy recommendations.