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Broken Bond: An Academy Fae Romantasy with Dangerous Attraction and Otherworldly Adventures
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
She was the kernel of chaos needed for the structured, static supernatural world. Her bits of dreamlike creativity make me laugh and cheer every time she succeeded. And I laughed a lot. --Goodreads Reviewer
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
She's determined, funny, spunky, feisty and won't go down without a fight even if she's seen as lesser. I don't want to give anything away, but I will say that this story has characters you will love and dislike, there's friends, enemies, lovers, monsters, dwarfs, faes, angels, incubus, lycans, phoenix, deaths, threats, action, steamy scenes, chaos, orders, an arrest, laugh out loud moments and so much more. --Goodreads Reviewer
A bond made to be broken...
It was the worst day of my life and the best day of my week.
I escaped in just time to cast the spell I need for the admissions interview. Summoning a familiar should have opened the doors to my future—yet instead of a loyal companion, I conjured an Aos Sí: a high fae of ruthless power, and a devastatingly handsome male who’d sooner carve my heart out than bow to a human. Still, he demanded we seal a contract before vanishing, leaving me with a corpse at my feet, blood on my hands, and the cops closing in as my one chance at the elite Order Academy slipped through my trembling fingers.
The Academy is my best hope of taming the magic that crackles beneath my skin and uncovering the truth hidden in my father’s legacy. If I must scrub gore from my body in a dingy gas station sink or crawl through the ruins of my pride, I won’t let it stop me.
I will get in, even if I have to break everything to do it.
Yet the Academy’s glittering halls hide fangs beneath their polish and I’m dressed to kill.
And the arrogant, dangerously beautiful fae who abandoned me? He’s no mere attendant; he’s royalty, and now he stands above me in rank. He expects my submission, to see me dance on his strings of power—yet every furious glance he throws my way sears a path straight to my core. It doesn’t help that now I’m supposed to serve him and his four equally smouldering friends. Still, I will not become a plaything.
If he thinks I’m just another pawn, he’s about to learn how fierce I can be. Because as I peel back the layers of his secrets—I discover more of my own.
What did I truly bind him with that day? And when I finally understand the twisted contract between us, will I break free from this lush, dangerous cage—or yield to the dark, exquisite temptation lurking within his arms?
Or will I destroy everything?
She was the kernel of chaos needed for the structured, static supernatural world. Her bits of dreamlike creativity make me laugh and cheer every time she succeeded. And I laughed a lot. --Goodreads Reviewer
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
She's determined, funny, spunky, feisty and won't go down without a fight even if she's seen as lesser. I don't want to give anything away, but I will say that this story has characters you will love and dislike, there's friends, enemies, lovers, monsters, dwarfs, faes, angels, incubus, lycans, phoenix, deaths, threats, action, steamy scenes, chaos, orders, an arrest, laugh out loud moments and so much more. --Goodreads Reviewer
A bond made to be broken...
It was the worst day of my life and the best day of my week.
I escaped in just time to cast the spell I need for the admissions interview. Summoning a familiar should have opened the doors to my future—yet instead of a loyal companion, I conjured an Aos Sí: a high fae of ruthless power, and a devastatingly handsome male who’d sooner carve my heart out than bow to a human. Still, he demanded we seal a contract before vanishing, leaving me with a corpse at my feet, blood on my hands, and the cops closing in as my one chance at the elite Order Academy slipped through my trembling fingers.
The Academy is my best hope of taming the magic that crackles beneath my skin and uncovering the truth hidden in my father’s legacy. If I must scrub gore from my body in a dingy gas station sink or crawl through the ruins of my pride, I won’t let it stop me.
I will get in, even if I have to break everything to do it.
Yet the Academy’s glittering halls hide fangs beneath their polish and I’m dressed to kill.
And the arrogant, dangerously beautiful fae who abandoned me? He’s no mere attendant; he’s royalty, and now he stands above me in rank. He expects my submission, to see me dance on his strings of power—yet every furious glance he throws my way sears a path straight to my core. It doesn’t help that now I’m supposed to serve him and his four equally smouldering friends. Still, I will not become a plaything.
If he thinks I’m just another pawn, he’s about to learn how fierce I can be. Because as I peel back the layers of his secrets—I discover more of my own.
What did I truly bind him with that day? And when I finally understand the twisted contract between us, will I break free from this lush, dangerous cage—or yield to the dark, exquisite temptation lurking within his arms?
Or will I destroy everything?
526 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 20, 2025
40 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 20, 2025
Broken Bond is the first book in a projected five book Romantasy series by author Ariana Irendale.
The story opens with MFC Fiz as she is escaping the home of her kidnappers an aunt and her husband Clarence, who claimed to have locked her up for her own good.
But Fiz has plans to join the Elite Order Academy of magic and needs to summon a familiar for the admissions interview, and nothing is going to stop her from doing so or reaching it’s safety.
Alone in the woods Fiz casts a spell that summons a familiar that isn’t quite what she expected, an Aos Si Fae, a class of higher Fae. So why was he there?
This first book is a long story that introduces its protagonist’s, and magical creatures that adorn the academy halls both dangerous, and addictive in a fascinating and lethal narrative that doesn’t hold back on the twists, secrets, danger, intrigue, power plays, action, magic, and violence.
The romance is going to be a slow build over the course of the series so not too much can be expected from this opening salvo but the tease is there, and which direction will it take?
Fiz has a lot to contend with besides harnessing her own powers and I will gladly take the journey with her into the abyss with this well written, entertaining read. TBC.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The story opens with MFC Fiz as she is escaping the home of her kidnappers an aunt and her husband Clarence, who claimed to have locked her up for her own good.
But Fiz has plans to join the Elite Order Academy of magic and needs to summon a familiar for the admissions interview, and nothing is going to stop her from doing so or reaching it’s safety.
Alone in the woods Fiz casts a spell that summons a familiar that isn’t quite what she expected, an Aos Si Fae, a class of higher Fae. So why was he there?
This first book is a long story that introduces its protagonist’s, and magical creatures that adorn the academy halls both dangerous, and addictive in a fascinating and lethal narrative that doesn’t hold back on the twists, secrets, danger, intrigue, power plays, action, magic, and violence.
The romance is going to be a slow build over the course of the series so not too much can be expected from this opening salvo but the tease is there, and which direction will it take?
Fiz has a lot to contend with besides harnessing her own powers and I will gladly take the journey with her into the abyss with this well written, entertaining read. TBC.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 16, 2025
{PNR Academy Romantic urban fantasy?, MMMF, steamy but not smutty}
Fiz had lost her father and then recently her mother. Her aunt and uncle kidnapped her, because her mother may have been rich. After Fiz snuck out of their home to get a familiar in order to apply to a paranormal college academy, the uncle attacked her. Fiz was smart enough to grab a can of bear spray during her exit but unintentionally sprayed herself. Only then did her ‘familiar’ show up, and he was no animal.
He was not even a knight in shining armor. Since he merely watched, she revenge-spelled him.
When she finally reached the academy, she broke their divining crystal. I was unsure if she just had uncontrolled powers or was a clumsy, debt-ridden klutz who learned that humans, or mundanes, were recruited as labor (work-study). Groan. Actually, she was the kernel of chaos needed for the structured, static supernatural world. Her bits of dreamlike creativity make me laugh and cheer every time she succeeded. And I laughed a lot.
“Pain was temporary, but eating a worm was forever.”
Understand, Fiz was relatable and generally likable. However, sometimes she acted too young for the romance and irritated me.
The World:
Think Dungeons and Dragons plus academy. If you have ever gamed you will recognize the dungeon with moving caves, the bag of all-holding, and the fuzzy bunnies. This is possibly more entertaining than gaming.
The Romance:
The blurb led me to believe this is a M/F romance. I was disappointed that it seems to be a reverse harem. I like the guy band and especially like the wolf shifter, but ultimately I am in the single relationship camp. Of course, there are 3 guys:
⁃ the Berserker (sorry; incubus)
⁃ the wolf shifter (I like the small details of shifter habits)
⁃ the fae (tricky, aloof, and stuck with an unwanted bond)
They immediately felt an attachment but seemed to forget Fiz existed. Fiz understandably felt conflicted about her own attraction and kept ‘dreaming’ of her dad/God of Chaos/someone to get relationship advice from. It was adorable.
The Theme:
I was surprised by some of the heavy thematic elements underneath the fun urban fantasy. Fiz had to deal with discrimination and bullying because she was labeled ‘mortal.’ She was misclassified as a male as well, so she constantly fought against a rigid system to protect her rights as a nonconformist. Don’t worry; you can treat this as popcorn lit if you just want to have fun.
Fiz had lost her father and then recently her mother. Her aunt and uncle kidnapped her, because her mother may have been rich. After Fiz snuck out of their home to get a familiar in order to apply to a paranormal college academy, the uncle attacked her. Fiz was smart enough to grab a can of bear spray during her exit but unintentionally sprayed herself. Only then did her ‘familiar’ show up, and he was no animal.
He was not even a knight in shining armor. Since he merely watched, she revenge-spelled him.
When she finally reached the academy, she broke their divining crystal. I was unsure if she just had uncontrolled powers or was a clumsy, debt-ridden klutz who learned that humans, or mundanes, were recruited as labor (work-study). Groan. Actually, she was the kernel of chaos needed for the structured, static supernatural world. Her bits of dreamlike creativity make me laugh and cheer every time she succeeded. And I laughed a lot.
“Pain was temporary, but eating a worm was forever.”
Understand, Fiz was relatable and generally likable. However, sometimes she acted too young for the romance and irritated me.
The World:
Think Dungeons and Dragons plus academy. If you have ever gamed you will recognize the dungeon with moving caves, the bag of all-holding, and the fuzzy bunnies. This is possibly more entertaining than gaming.
The Romance:
The blurb led me to believe this is a M/F romance. I was disappointed that it seems to be a reverse harem. I like the guy band and especially like the wolf shifter, but ultimately I am in the single relationship camp. Of course, there are 3 guys:
⁃ the Berserker (sorry; incubus)
⁃ the wolf shifter (I like the small details of shifter habits)
⁃ the fae (tricky, aloof, and stuck with an unwanted bond)
They immediately felt an attachment but seemed to forget Fiz existed. Fiz understandably felt conflicted about her own attraction and kept ‘dreaming’ of her dad/God of Chaos/someone to get relationship advice from. It was adorable.
The Theme:
I was surprised by some of the heavy thematic elements underneath the fun urban fantasy. Fiz had to deal with discrimination and bullying because she was labeled ‘mortal.’ She was misclassified as a male as well, so she constantly fought against a rigid system to protect her rights as a nonconformist. Don’t worry; you can treat this as popcorn lit if you just want to have fun.
April 28, 2025
You know that feeling when a book just grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go? That was Broken Bond for me.
From page one, I could feel the desperation and the defiance bleeding off the main character. She isn’t some perfect, polished little heroine — she’s raw. She’s messy. She’s hungry for a future that's constantly slipping through her fingers. And damn if I didn’t root for her like she was a part of me.
The familiar summoning scene? Whew. I knew it was gonna be bad, but I wasn’t ready for how dark it would turn — or how intoxicatingly dangerous that fae male was. He was pure, ruthless chaos wrapped up in deadly beauty, and the second he vanished (after dropping a bomb on her life, of course), I knew this wasn’t gonna be a fluffy magic academy story. This was survival. This was war. And I lived for it.
The setting? A whole vibe. The Academy is this glittering, cruel, polished snake pit — and she storms it with blood still on her hands and a spine made of iron. I loved that she wasn’t naive. She knew the game was rigged against her — and she still fought tooth and nail to claim her place.
And let’s talk about the fae prince (and his dangerously fine friends)? It’s the slow-burn enemies-to-lovers tension I crave — that brutal, magnetic pull where you don’t know if they’re going to kiss or kill each other. Every glare, every snarl, every brush of power between them made my chest tight and my heart pound. Ariana Irendale nailed that slow, torturous dance.
It’s vicious. It’s brutal. It’s seductive. And it’s only just beginning.
Broken Bond isn’t just a story about magic and power — it’s about survival, identity, and fighting to claim a life when everyone expects you to shatter. And after that ending? Oh, I’m not just hooked — I’m feral for Book 2.
If you love brutal magical academies, fierce heroines who refuse to kneel, and fae males who are as dangerous as they are gorgeous — you need this book in your life immediately.
Just be ready: this world doesn’t pull punches. And neither does she. 💀✨.
From page one, I could feel the desperation and the defiance bleeding off the main character. She isn’t some perfect, polished little heroine — she’s raw. She’s messy. She’s hungry for a future that's constantly slipping through her fingers. And damn if I didn’t root for her like she was a part of me.
The familiar summoning scene? Whew. I knew it was gonna be bad, but I wasn’t ready for how dark it would turn — or how intoxicatingly dangerous that fae male was. He was pure, ruthless chaos wrapped up in deadly beauty, and the second he vanished (after dropping a bomb on her life, of course), I knew this wasn’t gonna be a fluffy magic academy story. This was survival. This was war. And I lived for it.
The setting? A whole vibe. The Academy is this glittering, cruel, polished snake pit — and she storms it with blood still on her hands and a spine made of iron. I loved that she wasn’t naive. She knew the game was rigged against her — and she still fought tooth and nail to claim her place.
And let’s talk about the fae prince (and his dangerously fine friends)? It’s the slow-burn enemies-to-lovers tension I crave — that brutal, magnetic pull where you don’t know if they’re going to kiss or kill each other. Every glare, every snarl, every brush of power between them made my chest tight and my heart pound. Ariana Irendale nailed that slow, torturous dance.
It’s vicious. It’s brutal. It’s seductive. And it’s only just beginning.
Broken Bond isn’t just a story about magic and power — it’s about survival, identity, and fighting to claim a life when everyone expects you to shatter. And after that ending? Oh, I’m not just hooked — I’m feral for Book 2.
If you love brutal magical academies, fierce heroines who refuse to kneel, and fae males who are as dangerous as they are gorgeous — you need this book in your life immediately.
Just be ready: this world doesn’t pull punches. And neither does she. 💀✨.
April 12, 2025
Broken Bonds was absolutely amazing!!! I was invested in Fiz's story from the very beginning and was not ready for her story to end with that cliffhanger ending because I wanted more. Fiz has not had an easy life recently. One bad decision, lead to her fighting for her life, only for her to be bonded to someone that seems to want nothing to do with her. However, she made a promise to someone she loved, and she's determined to keep that promise, too bad everything and everyone seems to be fighting against her. She's determined, funny, spunky, fiesty and won't go down without a fight even if she's seen as lesser. I don't want to give anything away, but I will say that this story has characters you will love and dislike, there's friends, enemies, lovers, monsters, dwarfs, faes, angels, incubus, lycans, phoenix, deaths, threats, action, steamy scenes, chaos, orders an arrest, laugh out loud moments and so much more. It ends with one funny, surprising and challenging cliffhanger ending and I cannot wait to read the next book in this series.
April 22, 2025
Broken Bond . . .
Things haven’t gone well for Fiz. First she must escape her kidnapping by her nasty, greedy aunt and uncle. Then, what should have been simple, got complicated when she summoned not the familiar she expected but Aos Sí, a high Fae with ruthless power. He made her seal a contract with him, then vanished. What had she just done? She needs to get admitted to the elite Order Academy to tame her magic. But the arrogant Fae she had made the contract with is actually royalty, ranking above her and expecting to exploit that power by making her submit to him. He wants her to serve him and his friends. She is determined to resist, and discovers both of them have their secrets. Can she break the bond she made that day? Or will she bring on destruction? The reader will not be bored with the large cast of characters and their antics throughout the story.
Things haven’t gone well for Fiz. First she must escape her kidnapping by her nasty, greedy aunt and uncle. Then, what should have been simple, got complicated when she summoned not the familiar she expected but Aos Sí, a high Fae with ruthless power. He made her seal a contract with him, then vanished. What had she just done? She needs to get admitted to the elite Order Academy to tame her magic. But the arrogant Fae she had made the contract with is actually royalty, ranking above her and expecting to exploit that power by making her submit to him. He wants her to serve him and his friends. She is determined to resist, and discovers both of them have their secrets. Can she break the bond she made that day? Or will she bring on destruction? The reader will not be bored with the large cast of characters and their antics throughout the story.
April 24, 2025
I thought that this was a brilliant read. This book sets the scene for the whole series. As this story is right at the beginning there are many twists and unanswered questions, which make this an interesting read.
Fiz, the main protagonist, is a great character. I feel for her, as she has. ot had an easy life and how one decision changes her whole life. She meets so many characters and they are so interesting and varied.
I could not put this book down and am so looking forward to the next book in the series.
Fiz, the main protagonist, is a great character. I feel for her, as she has. ot had an easy life and how one decision changes her whole life. She meets so many characters and they are so interesting and varied.
I could not put this book down and am so looking forward to the next book in the series.
May 7, 2025
Love it.
I loved it. I love the grit and snark, and the magic. I gotta say I am a bit confused on the random statements within the chapters, I'm not sure if they are supposed to be her subconscious or spirits or a god or the dungeon, I don't know. I think that and the cliffhanger are my only negatives. The world is so well put together and creative. I read literally hundreds of books a year, and it's refreshing to pull away from the more overdone storylines. Fantastic read. I cannot wait for the continued story.
I loved it. I love the grit and snark, and the magic. I gotta say I am a bit confused on the random statements within the chapters, I'm not sure if they are supposed to be her subconscious or spirits or a god or the dungeon, I don't know. I think that and the cliffhanger are my only negatives. The world is so well put together and creative. I read literally hundreds of books a year, and it's refreshing to pull away from the more overdone storylines. Fantastic read. I cannot wait for the continued story.
April 21, 2025
Wow what a wild ride. I like all the characters, Fiz, the guys and the friends she makes along the way. It is really well written and the descriptions of magic are easy to visualize. It’s an amazing weird mix of horror, humor, and sentient objects for the win. I really enjoyed this book I can’t wait to see where the next one takes us!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 19, 2025
After reading the first two books in this series, I knew the author was going to create an intriguing world that I was going to want to continue to explore. Explore all its' dark, devious, yet deliciously delightful world.
This book continues to build on the world-building while rehashing for the new reader. Humans running and needing an escape from the the human world can summon a familiar and hope to enter a "better" world where magic exists - fae, demons, and magical creatures great and small. But is it really better?
Things may not always be better or believed and this dark PR sets everything up nicely for the makings of a something that will have you looking for more from the author.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book continues to build on the world-building while rehashing for the new reader. Humans running and needing an escape from the the human world can summon a familiar and hope to enter a "better" world where magic exists - fae, demons, and magical creatures great and small. But is it really better?
Things may not always be better or believed and this dark PR sets everything up nicely for the makings of a something that will have you looking for more from the author.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 22, 2025
This was a strong start to the Chaos God Apophis series, it had that element that I was looking for and thought worked as a fantasy romance novel. Everything was what I was hoping for from a dragon and magical fantasy going on. that I was looking for. The characters were wonderfully done and worked in this universe. Ariana Irendale has a strong writing style and am excited for more.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 1, 2025
I absolutely loved this and could not put it down. It is a fantastic academy start to a series and I can’t wait to get my greedy eyes on book 2. Once the storyline picks up momentum it doesn’t stop until the end. There are a few potential triggers so check it out before you read. Otherwise, dive in!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 19, 2025
I really enjoyed this read. The characters were wonderful, while also being infuriating at the same time. The world was expressive and and kept me coming back for more time and time again. I really can’t wait for the next few books.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 28, 2025
Steamy but not spicy (yet??), why choose (I think?), 1st person single point of view, paranormal romantasy. This has amazing worldbuilding and I'm loving the characters and their dynamics. I think this series will be epic and can't wait for the next installment.
April 29, 2025
This is an interesting start to a new series, and our FMC does not have it easy. I'm interested to see where the story takes us as the series progresses.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 12, 2025
I was hesitant to read this series but I am so glad I decided to go ahead and read it. This first book was so good. Once I started reading, I didn't want to stop. I couldn't wait to read the second book in the series.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews