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Radiant Legacy #1

Darkest Valley

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Beneath the neon lights and crowded casinos of human-run Las Vegas, there’s a hidden underbelly with far more grit and blood...

Welcome to the supernatural fringes, where the rules are unspoken, magic is everywhere, and the truth is complicated. Especially when you’re the only angel around. With temperamental wings and a growing reputation as the club’s loose cannon, I’m starting to attract the wrong kind of attention.

Then someone dies.

He had it coming, but now I’m in a tight spot stuck with three men and no personal Luca, a shifter with a killer stare and a body I can’t ignore; Alistair, a vampire who trades in secrets and won’t leave mine alone; and Ciprian, a demon with a disarming sense of humor who might be the most dangerous of them all.

They’re all monsters. They can’t be mine.

But temptation is hard to resist—even for an angel. Something dark is lurking in this sunbaked valley. A mystery that leads straight to me. I’m Celine. I dance for my money and fight for my freedom, but I’ll burn it all down before I give up an inch of ground.

Darkest Valley is Book 1 of the Radiant Legacy series—a paranormal romance featuring a strong FMC, protective MMCs, and a medium-burn, multi-POV story where the woman ends up with multiple love interests, some of whom also fall for each other.

Set in Alana Kay’s Legacy Universe, this series overlaps chronologically with the Lost Legacy trilogy. While either series can be an entry point into the universe, reading both will give you a richer look at the magical world they share.

You can expect: Angels, demons, vampires, shifters, witches, found family, forced proximity, fake dating, friends to lovers, emotional tension, steamy payoff, and high-stakes supernatural mystery.

374 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 19, 2025

75 people are currently reading
294 people want to read

About the author

Alana Kay

6 books28 followers
ALANA KAY is a romance author with a soft spot for imperfect heroes, tough heroines, and steamy love stories. She made her debut into paranormal romance in 2024 with her novel The Last Wish (Lost Legacy Book One) and completed the trilogy in February 2025.

Alana Kay fell for romance novels in the early aughts after sneaking bodice rippers from her mom’s dog-eared collection of paperbacks. A big believer in happy endings, she likes her love scenes on page, her adventures nonstop, and her magic off the rails. When she’s not typing feverishly, she’s either snuggling with her dog, cats, or husband in sunny Los Angeles or impulsively signing up for a sporting event she’s not nearly athletic enough to commit to.

Author of the completed Lost Legacy series, including The Last Wish, The Last Dream, and The Last Djinn. Her in-progress Radiant Legacy series releases its third book, Fear No Evil, in 2026.

For updates, sign up for her newsletter, follow @AlanaKayAuthor on social media, or head over to AlanaKayAuthor.com.

https://linktr.ee/alanakayauthor

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5 stars
47 (43%)
4 stars
31 (28%)
3 stars
25 (22%)
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6 (5%)
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Profile Image for Marissa.Reads.
334 reviews354 followers
September 12, 2025
I’m so mad at myself for not reading an Alana Kay book sooner! I never wanted to leave this world!

Urban fantasy, why choose, an angel with mood wings, a supernatural underground Las Vegas where rules don’t exist, and the boyfriends are also boyfriends, yes please!!

I didn’t want to leave this world, I absolutely loved every single character! We get a badass, mood winged, motorcycle riding FMC with a little case of OCD, a possessive basilisk shifter, a hilarious fear eating demon that’s afraid of roaches, and a vampire that trades in secrets and thinks sharing is caring. One of them also has a case of hidden identity.

In the fringes you don’t make friends, you keep your secrets close, and trust no one. This book kept me guessing the entire time, the mystery aspect had me on the edge of my seat, the spice was hot AF, and every single character was interesting and relatable.

I love that Alana isn’t making us wait long for book 2 because I need it immediately! Thank you so much to Alana Kay for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest review
Profile Image for Lisa Floyd.
8 reviews
August 20, 2025
One of my favorite reverse harem books of all time! 🤩

This series starter is incredible. From the minute I opened the first page 📄 I was hooked. The story has action, is fast paced, and the adventure blends beautifully with the romance.

The women are strong characters who kick some butt and the male supporting characters are witty, sarcastic, and add a lot of laughter to the series. I could not put this book down.

One of the most fun and faster reads for me this year. Love Alana Kay’s writing ✍️ and this may be her best book yet 💗
5 reviews
August 20, 2025
After the newsletter teasers for Darkest Valley, I knew I had to read it. As soon as I started, I was hooked; I couldn't put it down. The setting, the characters, the romance, the action - it's gripping and hot. And that ending - instantly iconic! I'm so excited for book 2 in December.

Celine is a sexy, powerhouse FMC with depth and a history that unravels in a satisfying way as the story unfolds. She's a very different FMC compared to Sheena from The Last Wish (Alana Kay's other series), which just proved to me that this author has the skills to write different types of interesting characters, each with their own flaws and strengths. I can't wait to see where she takes Celine and Co. next.

The main male protagonists are all complex and hot. I love the different types of paranormal beings the author chose too; it's a fun mix that reads as very fresh and unique. Each one has a full-fledged plot arc and clear motivations - a rarity in why choose sometimes.

Outside of the romantic relationships, I love Celine's relationship with her best female friend. They had one of my favorite scenes in the whole book. I hope we get more of them.

For those who have read Alana Kay's Lost Legacy trilogy, Darkest Valley has some crossover with side characters from LL, but Darkest Valley can be read as a standalone. Minor spoiler:

Overall, this was a great book and I recommend it to anyone looking for a well-written, paranormal romance with strong character development and plot.
Profile Image for Alyssa.
17 reviews10 followers
August 17, 2025
I got the book this week and devoured it in one sitting. Could not put it down! I read and loved Alana Kay's first trilogy, but this one is setting up to be even better.

The entire premise of an angel being a stripper in a Las Vegas club is ironic and amusing in the best way. Her manager (who also happens to be a basilisk shifter) is dead gone over her, and also turns ppl to stone when he gets upset. She's being stalked by a sexy vampire who apparently wants to "collect" her, and then an undercover demon shows up. There's pining and angst and so. much. chemistry. The guys are at each other's throats constantly. The vampire---literally.

I love how strong Celine is--she takes no crap from anybody, least of all these guys breathing down her neck. I'm rooting for all the main characters, which is extremely rare in a harem. They all have such good motivations and characterizations, it's impossible not to bond with them.

Everything has blown up in their faces at the end of this book and I'm going to be in a state until the next one comes out. Fortunately this author publishes like clockwork so the wait won't be too long. If you haven't read Alana Kay before, start here and then go read The Last Wish trilogy (it's a crossover) while you wait for book 2.
1 review
August 20, 2025
A Rare Five Star for me--Alistair has my Whole Heart

I read hundreds of books a year, and I’m extremely picky about which ones actually earn a spot on my shelf (or even make it past chapter three). Darkest Valley was one of those rare finds that completely grabbed me. The worldbuilding has grit and atmosphere, the FMC has real fire without falling into clichés, and the pacing struck that sweet spot between action, mystery, and relationship tension.

The slow-burn romance is delicious, the group dynamics are layered, and every MMC has their own draw—but--I’m here for Alistair. He's broody and magnetic, and every one of his scenes was great. I don’t say this lightly: I already can’t wait for the next book.

If you’re choosy like me and tired of DNF’ing lackluster RHs, give this one a shot. It’s the kind of story that reminds me why I still wade through so many books to find the gems.
637 reviews
November 9, 2025
4.5 stars

I read Sheena's trilogy earlier this year so I went into this new series full of anticipation.

Alana Kay's writing is so solid and I like how she focuses on unique supernaturals for her FMCs.

Her heroines are strong and well-rounded and Celine is no exception.

Celine is a "tough as nails" stripper with a bit of a temper and a penchant for fighting - a real subversion of the delicate, bubbly angel trope we usually see in paranormal romance.

I like that Kay chose to write an FMC with such obvious personality flaws, but, at the same time, I sometimes struggled with how closed off and mean she was to her guys, who were mostly patient with her and pretty darn obsessed.

Look, I loved the men in Sheena's book but so far Celine's guys are *chefs kiss*. We know Ciprian from Sheena's trilogy, but we see him in a totally different way here.

He's funny and sweet and hiding a ton of loneliness beneath that irreverent exterior. The epilogue scene had me 😭

Alistair, who is a minor character in the first series, comes to life beautifully here. I'm not even a fan of vampires, but I fell in love with this one. His POVs (with all that repressed obsession) were some of my favourites!

Luca was brand new but he was a delicious addition. I was so miffed at how Celine treated him. Honestly, this may be the first ever case of a FMC who needs to grovel a bit.

I loved that he's not a typical type of shifter, and has a very useful (but dangerous) power.

Outside of the romance, the main plot moved slowly - Celine kept info about her past pretty close to her chest, which meant we readers don't know much at all either.

By the end of the book, we're not any nearer to understanding the mystery behind all the kids appearing, but we do get an intriguing new character introduced right at the end. Hopefully things progress a bit faster in Book 2!!
Profile Image for alex.
998 reviews183 followers
September 25, 2025
3 stars ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

☆⋆。𖦹°‧★ Darkest Valley☆⋆。𖦹°‧★

⁺₊★·.´🎧✩°。 0:56 ──♡───── 3:32 ⁺₊🎧★·.·´

🎶 “Boys workin' on empty. Is that the kinda way to face the burnin' heat? · There's nothin' sweeter than my baby.” 🎶

Celine (h) may be the only angel in a world of monsters, but her volatile wings and reckless streak have earned her a reputation that draws danger like moths to flame. When a man ends up dead, she finds herself entangled with three unlikely allies: Luca (H), a shifter with a lethal gaze; Alistair(H), a vampire who collects secrets and wants hers most of all; and Ciprian (H), a charming demon whose humor masks deadly intent.

—*•.¸♡ ★·.·☾ ゚。´THOUGHTS゚☁︎。`·.·★ ♡¸.•*⋆—

[Alistair]

“You better knock it off with the territorial bullshit or I swear⁠—”/b>

“You’ll what, Celine?”/b>


“Will you take your clothes off for a bunch of strangers? Oh wait, you already do that.”/b>


He really threw me off this time. He lashed out and humiliated her in front of everyone by calling her out for being a stripper, and I hated that. It was pure public humiliation just because he didn’t get his way. Up until then, he had been this golden retriever energy, happy to share, wanting everyone to just exist as a happy little harem. But the second he got hurt, he turned cruel. He knew exactly what to say to poke at one of her biggest insecurities, and that stung. I know he regretted it immediately and it’s something he can’t take back, but we were left hanging on that cliffhanger, and now I’m upset. I don’t think it ruins his character completely, but he definitely has some groveling to do. He needs to apologize and earn back trust because his whole arc went from supportive to destructive in seconds.

[Luca]

“Talk to me, baby,” he whispers. “I can’t take it back, and gods know I don’t want to, but I won’t say it again if you don’t want to hear it.”/b>


“I will be the death of you, Luca,” I say, sorrow bleeding into my words. “Loving me will be the last thing you do, then I’ll be forced to carry the weight until I can’t stand it any longer.”/b>


Luca, on the other hand, broke my heart in a different way. She didn’t even realize he had been pining for her this whole time, and when he finally confessed his love, she couldn’t say it back. Not because she doesn’t love him - I think she does - but because she’s terrified of what it means to let someone that close. Her instinct is to push people away rather than risk losing them. Luca is so steady, so protective, and also knows how to stand on his own, which makes them incredibly compatible. They’re in sync, and she just has to stop being so afraid of letting him in. I really hope in the next book she learns that she can let down her walls and still keep her strength.

[Ciprian]

“For the record, though, you’re just Celine to me. Angry, more walls than a labyrinth, witty but sometimes cruel, and painfully hot. You’re interesting because you aren’t perfect or shitty—you’re everything in between.”/b>


Ciprian is the wild card. He’s the outlier of the group, always on the edge of things while she grew closer to Alistair and Luca. Nobody fully trusted him, and he made it worse by being secretive about his past. The slow burn connection was there, but when it came out that he had his own agenda and a separate identity, it felt like betrayal. That was the turning point that hurt the group dynamic the most. And then the cliffhanger of him getting beaten up left me anxious - I need to know if he’s okay, what happens next, and whether or not he’ll come clean.

—*•.¸♡ ★·.·☾ ゚。´OVERALL゚☁︎。`·.·★ ♡¸.•*⋆—

Celine is so strong-willed and independent, but also insecure about letting people close. She’s quick to lean into physical intimacy because it feels safe, but struggles with the emotional intimacy that Alistair and Luca especially want from her. Ciprian even points this out, that she shuts down when people try to really see her. I think she does care about all of them equally, but she doesn’t know how to express that yet. I’m hoping the next book gives her the chance to open up and develop on the softer, more vulnerable side of herself, while still holding on to her strength.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Sydney Lau.
31 reviews2 followers
September 8, 2025
Darkest Valley was such a great read! Full of grit, humor, and mystery, I couldn’t put it down. Set in Las Vegas, the fringes of the supernatural community. Celine is an Angel that works hard and keeps a low profile the best she can. When a situation arises and attention is drawn to not only her but those important to her, a mystery begins to unravel. Celine must face her past, but not on her own this time.

I loved Celine as a character so much! She’s fiercely loyal, truthful to a fault, and not to mention a bombshell. She’s tough, scrappy, and never backs down from a fight. I don’t often come across FMC’s like this and it was so refreshing to read! I enjoyed the self sufficient attitude she held, which made her vulnerable moments so impactful.

Getting to reconnect with Ciprian was so good! He’s a complex character that charms his way into the fray. He’s absolutely hilarious but shows great vulnerability in the book. The dynamic that is taking shape with Ciprian, Luca, and Alistair is something I cannot wait to read more of in Shadow of Death.

Now, I need to say that Luca is my fave so far! I’m not typically a fan of friends to lovers but the way Alana Kay does it is SO enjoyable. Luca is hot, sexy, and treats Celine like a goddess. I couldn’t get over how much I loved them and was cheering for them from the start! This is a great read, I had lots of fun start to finish!
1,038 reviews6 followers
December 15, 2025
I'm shocked by how much I enjoyed this book. I adored Ciprian in the Lost Legacy series, but that series, as a whole, was kind of middle of the road for me. Not bad, but not particularly memorable either.
I was expecting more of the same here, but what I got was so so much better.

Starting with Celine...it's refreshing to have an FMC who dances in a strip club. Not because she's desperate for rent money, or saving up to pay for a relative's medical care, but simply because she's proud of her body, comfortable in her own skin, and loves to dance. Additionally, her friendship with Imani is so beautiful it might have caused me to tear up at one point. Celine's mood-changing wings were also an interesting touch.

You don't know how rare it is for me to like every guy in a harem, but here we are.

Luca...I have no words. I will always always root for the best friend, but the chemistry in that first scene alone was enough to light my Kindle on fire. They were giving Burlesque, with the beauty on stage and the hot best friend eye-fucking her from behind the bar in his smudged guyliner.

Alistair - He intrigued me so much in the other series, so I was excited to see him in an MMC role. I LOVED how he not only understood that Celine and Luca were a package deal (long before they understood), but was obsessed with both of them. He could've tried to use Luca to get to Celine, but instead, he brought the two of them together. I only wish that we could've seen more of his life outside of the club. Granted, his behavior in that last scene was unacceptable, and a lot of groveling is required. But I don't doubt that he'll find a way to atone for his words.

Ciprian - Stole every scene in the last series, and continued to do so here. Of course he omitted the truth about his identity. Anybody would, in his situation. I hated how all of his good deeds and actions could be erased simply by the truth of his family and background, but at least Luca is asking questions.

Also want to mention that the atmosphere was so well done in this book. The club was so vivid and the desert setting kept me just a little uncomfortable and on edge.

Can't wait to read book two.
Profile Image for Bec.
141 reviews3 followers
October 17, 2025
“𝘈𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦?” 𝘐 𝘢𝘴𝘬. “𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘵 . . . 𝘖𝘣𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺.”

■ Why choose incl some MM
■ Supernatural Las Vegas
■ Angels, demons, shifters & more
■ FMC is an “adult dancer” with mood wings
■ Friends to lovers
■ Urban fantasy
■ Banter

This was really good! I will definitely be continuing with this series.

The FMC is an adult dancer living in supernatural Las Vegas with mood wings and has a motorcycle 🏍️ but don’t p!ss her off, her wings might change to blades!

Our MMC’s consist of a basilisk shifter who can turn people to stone, a vampire and a nightmare demon. I can’t decide which one is my favourite yet though!

That ending though, I need the next book immediately.
Profile Image for Gabe Farmer.
20 reviews18 followers
August 17, 2025
I loved this book! If you’re looking for a delightfully spicy fantasy why choose, this is the book for you. So refreshing to read something in this genre with a solid plot and good, clearly copy edited writing.
Profile Image for Nina.
159 reviews7 followers
September 29, 2025
I have really enjoyed this book and look forward to the next. I am glad I read the Lost Legacy series first as they are in the same universe and tie nicely together, giving an insider view to Ciprian, his home life and dour view of himself. Love the guy actually!
Anyway, really enjoyed this book!
Profile Image for Kim.
337 reviews157 followers
January 19, 2026
I had such a great time with this paranormal why choose! An angel, a demon, a basilisk shifter AND a vampire?! Hell yeah!

More to come… in the meantime, add it to your TBR and get ready for the amazing audiobook!

Thank you Alana Kay
Profile Image for K. Marie.
Author 2 books9 followers
November 3, 2025
I absolutely LOVED this book and was beyond sad when the 2nd wasnt out yet! ive never auto-saved a 2nd book so fast and got the first series immediately! stunning, wild ride ❤️
Profile Image for Shawna Campbell.
102 reviews2 followers
December 14, 2025
This was such a fun read! interesting characters, cool setting, and overall great storyline. I can't wait to read the next book!
Profile Image for Jenn Beck.
304 reviews1 follower
December 16, 2025
2.5 ⭐️ | Nothing to see or brag about here other than it was a good palate cleanser. The characters and writing were juvenile and the amount of Gen Z language that was used took a second to tolerate, but it was a fast read with a semi decent plot. Don’t know if I will continue the series unless Im bored.
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