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The Bride of Eavenfold #1
To Touch a Silent Fury
Fans of Sarah A. Parker and Penn Cole will love this sprawling new adult epic romantic fantasy, filled with dragons, deceit and a delicious slow-burn romance.
She rides to claim her fate, he flies to burn it down.
As the only woman in the Moontouched Brotherhood, Tani studies on the haughty island of Eavenfold surrounded by men who see her as an ill omen at best. Her Fate Ceremony is only days away, offering five possible escapes from the storm-locked island, but each with their own consequences.
Lang, an insubordinate Crown Prince, holds the reins to one of the few true dragons left in the world. Sent to Eavenfold on a diplomatic mission by his warmongering father, he watches as the Brothers bestow a rare and unwanted Marriage Fate on Tani. Already her touch magic alarms him, but if she succeeds and marries the victor of the upcoming tournament, her power could topple empires.
They both arrive at the games. Her, to claim her Fate. Him, to destroy it by any means possible.
She rides to claim her fate, he flies to burn it down.
As the only woman in the Moontouched Brotherhood, Tani studies on the haughty island of Eavenfold surrounded by men who see her as an ill omen at best. Her Fate Ceremony is only days away, offering five possible escapes from the storm-locked island, but each with their own consequences.
Lang, an insubordinate Crown Prince, holds the reins to one of the few true dragons left in the world. Sent to Eavenfold on a diplomatic mission by his warmongering father, he watches as the Brothers bestow a rare and unwanted Marriage Fate on Tani. Already her touch magic alarms him, but if she succeeds and marries the victor of the upcoming tournament, her power could topple empires.
They both arrive at the games. Her, to claim her Fate. Him, to destroy it by any means possible.
501 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 5, 2025
553 people are currently reading
5999 people want to read
About the author
R.A. Sandpiper
6 books371 followersR A Sandpiper (she/her) is a twenty-something romantic fantasy author living in the UK. She has a law degree she's never used despite spending five years in government-adjacent roles, loves games of all kinds (the nerdier the better), and will always dance at weddings.
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August 29, 2025
I want a baby dragon, please.
If you loved The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig, you will love this.
Tani is the only woman in the Moontouched Brotherhood, spurned and doomed. In her Fate Ceremony, which determines five possible futures, powers, and a means of escape from the isolated island.
Only, she gets the unwanted Marriage Fate tied to the victor of the upcoming tournament held by the royals.
Lang, the disobedient Crown Prince, is bonded to one of the only dragons left in the world. He knows Tani’s touch power where she can sense emotions makes her an incredibly powerful ally or enemy.
Not only is there a strong friendship, a very complicated relationship between Tani and the Prince (enemies to lovers? Reluctant allies? Banter buddies? Secret keepers?), there’s a wolf, a dragon, and intriguing world building with different cultures.
He had said he would not dance with me, but this was as much a dance as any. We skirted around words, implications and desires. It was easier to flirt with him, I told myself, when he was as agreeable and attractive as he was on this night. When I allowed the wine to dull me from his crimes against me.
The tension is high strung, the plot reveals obvious, but you won’t even care because you just want the characters to react to it.
Both perspectives are in first person, and whilst Tani is the strongest, I loved jumping between the two to see their inner thoughts.
So much happens and yet you will never truly feel lost.
It is powerful and romantic (kinda) and magical.
Physical arc gifted by the author.
(I joked I could finish this in a day, and I did. Easily. I couldn’t put it down.)
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If you loved The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig, you will love this.
Tani is the only woman in the Moontouched Brotherhood, spurned and doomed. In her Fate Ceremony, which determines five possible futures, powers, and a means of escape from the isolated island.
Only, she gets the unwanted Marriage Fate tied to the victor of the upcoming tournament held by the royals.
Lang, the disobedient Crown Prince, is bonded to one of the only dragons left in the world. He knows Tani’s touch power where she can sense emotions makes her an incredibly powerful ally or enemy.
Not only is there a strong friendship, a very complicated relationship between Tani and the Prince (enemies to lovers? Reluctant allies? Banter buddies? Secret keepers?), there’s a wolf, a dragon, and intriguing world building with different cultures.
He had said he would not dance with me, but this was as much a dance as any. We skirted around words, implications and desires. It was easier to flirt with him, I told myself, when he was as agreeable and attractive as he was on this night. When I allowed the wine to dull me from his crimes against me.
The tension is high strung, the plot reveals obvious, but you won’t even care because you just want the characters to react to it.
Both perspectives are in first person, and whilst Tani is the strongest, I loved jumping between the two to see their inner thoughts.
So much happens and yet you will never truly feel lost.
It is powerful and romantic (kinda) and magical.
Physical arc gifted by the author.
(I joked I could finish this in a day, and I did. Easily. I couldn’t put it down.)
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Tiktok
August 26, 2025
This review was originally published on Grimdark Magazine
When I tell you that To Touch a Silent Fury had me in an absolute chokehold, I mean that I burned through 300+ pages in a single day, stayed up too late to finish it, and then (lovingly) cursed R.A. Sandpiper for the brutal emotional rollercoaster that she just put me through. This is just peak slow-burn, dark, epic romantic fantasy, and more than that, it’s exactly the type of book that makes me remember why I fell in love with reading in the first place.
“How much of a threat could one girl really be?”
Earlier this year, I had an absolute blast as I devoured the Amefyre trilogy, but as soon as I started To Touch a Silent Fury, I realised that Sandpiper had just stepped up her game in every way possible. Sure, it took me about 50 or so pages to find my footing and get a decent grasp on the intricate world building with its countries and magic inspired by the five senses of Touch, Taste, Sound, Sight and Scent, but the level of overwhelm was vastly outweighed by my sense of intrigue, awe, and dangerously addictive excitement.
More than that, I just instantly fell head over heels in love with Tani(dwen) and Lang(nadin), and I loved getting transported into this dark and mystical fantasy world through their eyes. She is an outcast among outcasts as the only woman in the Moontouched Brotherhood on the remote island of Eavenfold, he is an insubordinate Crown Prince bonded to one of the last dragons left in the world. Their paths never should have crossed, but when Tani is bestowed a Marriage Fate during her Fate Ceremony that forces her to marry the victor of the upcoming tournament, Lang decides he will do anything to prevent her from claiming her Fate and reaching her full Touch magic powers.
“I was flying towards my Fate, whether I liked it or not. And flying right along with me was the man I had to force to marry me somehow. It was unfathomable, all of it. And yet, soaring on dragonback, it all felt possible.”
And that, my friends, only covers the first of the four parts that make up To Touch a Silent Fury. This story just kept zigging whenever I expected it to zag, going places that I never saw coming, and I was so here for the entire wild ride. I mean, it definitely has some familiar tropes like a mind-link dragon bond à la Fourth Wing (I LOVE my babes Chaethor and Hanin), a hidden identity cat-and-mouse dynamic reminiscent of The Crimson Moth, and political/court intrigue and family drama on a House of the Dragon/ASOIAF level, but it’s all just executed in a really strong and refreshing way.
Not to mention the clever ways that Sandpiper plays around with the concept of destiny and fate, both on an individual level and on a romantic level with one of the most unique spins on a marriage of convenience/fated mates-esque dynamic. Both Tani and Lang are shackled by their duties and the expectations that society has placed upon them, but I really appreciated that they didn’t meekly follow the path carved out for them. In fact, they have to be some of the most complicated, determined, mature, intense (like, hello, my tortured man Lang has such a flair for the dramatic), vulnerable, messy, dangerously powerful and emotionally complex characters I have read in an epic romantic fantasy, and I only loved them more and more as their layers were slowly peeled back.
Also, THE TENSION BETWEEN THESE TWO!!! They (should) hate each other but they truly can’t deny that they secretly respect each other, and then they also desperately need each other for their own selfish ends and just can’t stop themselves from pushing each other’s buttons every time they interact even when they know oh so well that they are playing with fire… in other words, they really had me going through it, and I love them all the more for it. I mean, sometimes I didn’t know if they or I were more confused by their inexplicable contradictory feelings and actions, but somehow that made them and their dynamic all the more realistic, compelling and irresistibly entertaining to me.
““How could I forget a face like yours?” he asked. “Your beauty has haunted me for years. Did you think I would not know you in a breath, in a moment, at a glance?””
Now, I am sure that there are aspects of this story that you could nitpick or poke holes through if you wanted, but Tani and Lang’s strong first person perspectives combined with Sandpiper’s smooth and evocative prose had me SO deeply immersed and invested that I honestly did not see or care about any flaws if they were even there. And whereas the Amefyre series might have had some pacing issues and felt a bit rushed for me in places, I think To Touch a Silent Fury is just a perfectly executed slow-burn that just masterfully builds in stakes and tension with each new chapter.
My personal favourite parts were probably the survival vibes with Tani (and SHADOW!) in the treacherous forests of the Soundlands and all the ballroom/dance scenes and court intrigue at Lang’s home of the Sightlands’ royal court, but then there truly was not a single moment of this 500 page beauty of a book that didn’t have me on the edge of my seat. And do not get me started on the emotional whiplash of the last 100 pages, all building up to an absolute gut punch of an ending that just hurt oh so good.
“We stared at each other again, then. The Sightlander and the Touchlander. The Dragon Prince and the Moontouched Girl. The Prince and the Fugitive. We would always be on two different sides of this world, and I was a fool to think otherwise.”
If you like your epic romantic fantasy in the vein of Penn Cole’s Kindred’s Curse Saga, Rosaria Munda’s Aurelian Cyle or Samantha Shannon’s The Priory of the Orange Tree, then To Touch a Silent Fury is the book for you. But heck, even if you think you don’t enjoy romance in your fantasy and just want a damn good dark fantasy adventure full of dragons, wyverns, schemes, intrigue, and bursts of pulse-pounding action, then this is also the book for you. The Bride of Eavenfold duology truly could not have started off stronger, and my desperate desire for the second book honestly burns hotter than dragon fire. Cue the book hangover…
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. To Touch a Silent Fury is scheduled for release on September 5th, 2025.
When I tell you that To Touch a Silent Fury had me in an absolute chokehold, I mean that I burned through 300+ pages in a single day, stayed up too late to finish it, and then (lovingly) cursed R.A. Sandpiper for the brutal emotional rollercoaster that she just put me through. This is just peak slow-burn, dark, epic romantic fantasy, and more than that, it’s exactly the type of book that makes me remember why I fell in love with reading in the first place.
“How much of a threat could one girl really be?”
Earlier this year, I had an absolute blast as I devoured the Amefyre trilogy, but as soon as I started To Touch a Silent Fury, I realised that Sandpiper had just stepped up her game in every way possible. Sure, it took me about 50 or so pages to find my footing and get a decent grasp on the intricate world building with its countries and magic inspired by the five senses of Touch, Taste, Sound, Sight and Scent, but the level of overwhelm was vastly outweighed by my sense of intrigue, awe, and dangerously addictive excitement.
More than that, I just instantly fell head over heels in love with Tani(dwen) and Lang(nadin), and I loved getting transported into this dark and mystical fantasy world through their eyes. She is an outcast among outcasts as the only woman in the Moontouched Brotherhood on the remote island of Eavenfold, he is an insubordinate Crown Prince bonded to one of the last dragons left in the world. Their paths never should have crossed, but when Tani is bestowed a Marriage Fate during her Fate Ceremony that forces her to marry the victor of the upcoming tournament, Lang decides he will do anything to prevent her from claiming her Fate and reaching her full Touch magic powers.
“I was flying towards my Fate, whether I liked it or not. And flying right along with me was the man I had to force to marry me somehow. It was unfathomable, all of it. And yet, soaring on dragonback, it all felt possible.”
And that, my friends, only covers the first of the four parts that make up To Touch a Silent Fury. This story just kept zigging whenever I expected it to zag, going places that I never saw coming, and I was so here for the entire wild ride. I mean, it definitely has some familiar tropes like a mind-link dragon bond à la Fourth Wing (I LOVE my babes Chaethor and Hanin), a hidden identity cat-and-mouse dynamic reminiscent of The Crimson Moth, and political/court intrigue and family drama on a House of the Dragon/ASOIAF level, but it’s all just executed in a really strong and refreshing way.
Not to mention the clever ways that Sandpiper plays around with the concept of destiny and fate, both on an individual level and on a romantic level with one of the most unique spins on a marriage of convenience/fated mates-esque dynamic. Both Tani and Lang are shackled by their duties and the expectations that society has placed upon them, but I really appreciated that they didn’t meekly follow the path carved out for them. In fact, they have to be some of the most complicated, determined, mature, intense (like, hello, my tortured man Lang has such a flair for the dramatic), vulnerable, messy, dangerously powerful and emotionally complex characters I have read in an epic romantic fantasy, and I only loved them more and more as their layers were slowly peeled back.
Also, THE TENSION BETWEEN THESE TWO!!! They (should) hate each other but they truly can’t deny that they secretly respect each other, and then they also desperately need each other for their own selfish ends and just can’t stop themselves from pushing each other’s buttons every time they interact even when they know oh so well that they are playing with fire… in other words, they really had me going through it, and I love them all the more for it. I mean, sometimes I didn’t know if they or I were more confused by their inexplicable contradictory feelings and actions, but somehow that made them and their dynamic all the more realistic, compelling and irresistibly entertaining to me.
““How could I forget a face like yours?” he asked. “Your beauty has haunted me for years. Did you think I would not know you in a breath, in a moment, at a glance?””
Now, I am sure that there are aspects of this story that you could nitpick or poke holes through if you wanted, but Tani and Lang’s strong first person perspectives combined with Sandpiper’s smooth and evocative prose had me SO deeply immersed and invested that I honestly did not see or care about any flaws if they were even there. And whereas the Amefyre series might have had some pacing issues and felt a bit rushed for me in places, I think To Touch a Silent Fury is just a perfectly executed slow-burn that just masterfully builds in stakes and tension with each new chapter.
My personal favourite parts were probably the survival vibes with Tani (and SHADOW!) in the treacherous forests of the Soundlands and all the ballroom/dance scenes and court intrigue at Lang’s home of the Sightlands’ royal court, but then there truly was not a single moment of this 500 page beauty of a book that didn’t have me on the edge of my seat. And do not get me started on the emotional whiplash of the last 100 pages, all building up to an absolute gut punch of an ending that just hurt oh so good.
“We stared at each other again, then. The Sightlander and the Touchlander. The Dragon Prince and the Moontouched Girl. The Prince and the Fugitive. We would always be on two different sides of this world, and I was a fool to think otherwise.”
If you like your epic romantic fantasy in the vein of Penn Cole’s Kindred’s Curse Saga, Rosaria Munda’s Aurelian Cyle or Samantha Shannon’s The Priory of the Orange Tree, then To Touch a Silent Fury is the book for you. But heck, even if you think you don’t enjoy romance in your fantasy and just want a damn good dark fantasy adventure full of dragons, wyverns, schemes, intrigue, and bursts of pulse-pounding action, then this is also the book for you. The Bride of Eavenfold duology truly could not have started off stronger, and my desperate desire for the second book honestly burns hotter than dragon fire. Cue the book hangover…
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. To Touch a Silent Fury is scheduled for release on September 5th, 2025.
February 2, 2026
IM OBSESSED dare I say my first 6 star read of 2026?
This is a high fantasy with a romance sub plot it kind of gives fourth wing vibes with the dragon mind speak meets game of thrones and the knight and the moth world/vibes.
The magic system in here is incredibly unique It derives from the five senses. The political intrigue kept me hooked from start from finish. You have people that reside in different lands such as the touch lands, the sound lands, the taste lands, the sight lands, and so on and so forth and whatever land you were born in is your enhanced ability you possess (touch sight sound taste scent) but there’s also what’s called the moon touched (they possess an enhanced gift) and there’s what’s called a moon touched brotherhood and these are people that have white hair and white eyes and our FMC Tani is the only female of this Brotherhood and whenever a new moon touched is born they are sent to this island to get educated and learn their extra gift they possess and in our FMC‘s case when she touches a person, she can sense their emotions. Once they’re old enough, they are given a fate from the brotherhood to unlock the full potential of their power, and our FMC has been given a marriage fate. She is supposed to marry whoever wins this tournament in order to enhance her gift and when she’s given her fate, the prince from the sight lands our MMC Lang learns of her power and is determined to break her fate because he fears her power, and he knows that his father would order him to kill her so instead he seeks to break her fate. He goes to the tournament, sabotages the tournament and causes Tani to flee. Years goes by, and Tani is determined to find a bartering chip the last dragon egg that the prince is after in order to gain his favor and convince him to marry her because technically he was the last one standing at the tournament there’s still a chance to unlock her fated power. But when she finds the last Dragon egg the dragon bonds with her, so then she’s taken into the sight lands court, and she has to navigate different court politics in order to convince the king that she’s worthy of prince Langs hand. But not everyone wants Tani to have that kind of power and theres plenty that are willing to do anything to put a stop to it.
There is so much more to this story that only scratches the surface but I am simply obsessed with this story, the sassy dragons, the unique relationships and the tension between our FMC Tani and Mmc Lang was perfect this is a true slow burn, marriage of convenience/ turned one sided enemies to lovers to???. I truly think this is a 6⭐️ because I loved it that much. I can’t wait for book 2
Tropes
True Slow burn
Dragons/dragon riders
Marriage of convenience
Sense based magic
Epic adventure
Hidden Identity
This is a high fantasy with a romance sub plot it kind of gives fourth wing vibes with the dragon mind speak meets game of thrones and the knight and the moth world/vibes.
The magic system in here is incredibly unique It derives from the five senses. The political intrigue kept me hooked from start from finish. You have people that reside in different lands such as the touch lands, the sound lands, the taste lands, the sight lands, and so on and so forth and whatever land you were born in is your enhanced ability you possess (touch sight sound taste scent) but there’s also what’s called the moon touched (they possess an enhanced gift) and there’s what’s called a moon touched brotherhood and these are people that have white hair and white eyes and our FMC Tani is the only female of this Brotherhood and whenever a new moon touched is born they are sent to this island to get educated and learn their extra gift they possess and in our FMC‘s case when she touches a person, she can sense their emotions. Once they’re old enough, they are given a fate from the brotherhood to unlock the full potential of their power, and our FMC has been given a marriage fate. She is supposed to marry whoever wins this tournament in order to enhance her gift and when she’s given her fate, the prince from the sight lands our MMC Lang learns of her power and is determined to break her fate because he fears her power, and he knows that his father would order him to kill her so instead he seeks to break her fate. He goes to the tournament, sabotages the tournament and causes Tani to flee. Years goes by, and Tani is determined to find a bartering chip the last dragon egg that the prince is after in order to gain his favor and convince him to marry her because technically he was the last one standing at the tournament there’s still a chance to unlock her fated power. But when she finds the last Dragon egg the dragon bonds with her, so then she’s taken into the sight lands court, and she has to navigate different court politics in order to convince the king that she’s worthy of prince Langs hand. But not everyone wants Tani to have that kind of power and theres plenty that are willing to do anything to put a stop to it.
There is so much more to this story that only scratches the surface but I am simply obsessed with this story, the sassy dragons, the unique relationships and the tension between our FMC Tani and Mmc Lang was perfect this is a true slow burn, marriage of convenience/ turned one sided enemies to lovers to???. I truly think this is a 6⭐️ because I loved it that much. I can’t wait for book 2
Tropes
True Slow burn
Dragons/dragon riders
Marriage of convenience
Sense based magic
Epic adventure
Hidden Identity
August 2, 2025
I‘m blown away. This book was everything I could ever need in a slow-burn, fantasy world.
The world building was beautifully thought out and revealed through the length of the book. As a reader, I felt I was part of the story of both protagonists. Everything was explained so vividly that I felt like I was right there with them. It’s definitely a highlight for me in 2025 if not in my overall top 5 books! I enjoyed it so much, I cannot wait for the sequel!!
The author‘s writing is beautiful, I fell in love with the first sentence (that doesn’t ever happen, normally).
Also: buckle up for the last 100 pages as with most fantasy books, it leaves you on the edge of your seat!!
The world building was beautifully thought out and revealed through the length of the book. As a reader, I felt I was part of the story of both protagonists. Everything was explained so vividly that I felt like I was right there with them. It’s definitely a highlight for me in 2025 if not in my overall top 5 books! I enjoyed it so much, I cannot wait for the sequel!!
The author‘s writing is beautiful, I fell in love with the first sentence (that doesn’t ever happen, normally).
Also: buckle up for the last 100 pages as with most fantasy books, it leaves you on the edge of your seat!!
January 9, 2026
Is it too early in the year for me to call this a top read of 2026??! CAUSE 😮💨 WHAT. A. BANGER. I knew immediately it would be a 5 star read - I even ordered the paperback when I was maybe 10% in. 😂
“You must not allow me even the smallest hope for you. For like the moon, I will hang in the darkness for all eternity, isolated from any other touch, thinking only of you.”
To Touch a Silent Fury is a stunning slow burn with unique magic, sassy bonded dragons, a fierce FMC, and a delicious MMC known as the Dragon Prince who you will absolutely go feral over!! (But like - don't get too feral, cause that's my mans 🤺.) It isn't your typical romantasy that relies heavily on smut and banter, but it still delivers all the elements we love about the genre!! It was so refreshing and I couldn't get enough. AND THAT ENDING!! I knew it was coming, but that didn't make it hurt any less 🥲. I need the next book so bad 😭. (Trying to be patient though, bc I just know this is going to get picked up!!)
In conclusion, it's spectacular & I need everyone to read it. Right now. THANK YEWWW. 🫶
Read if you enjoy:
-Bonded dragons
-Outcast scholar FMC
-Slow burn
-Sense, fate, & blood magic
-1st person dual POV
“You must not allow me even the smallest hope for you. For like the moon, I will hang in the darkness for all eternity, isolated from any other touch, thinking only of you.”
To Touch a Silent Fury is a stunning slow burn with unique magic, sassy bonded dragons, a fierce FMC, and a delicious MMC known as the Dragon Prince who you will absolutely go feral over!! (But like - don't get too feral, cause that's my mans 🤺.) It isn't your typical romantasy that relies heavily on smut and banter, but it still delivers all the elements we love about the genre!! It was so refreshing and I couldn't get enough. AND THAT ENDING!! I knew it was coming, but that didn't make it hurt any less 🥲. I need the next book so bad 😭. (Trying to be patient though, bc I just know this is going to get picked up!!)
In conclusion, it's spectacular & I need everyone to read it. Right now. THANK YEWWW. 🫶
Read if you enjoy:
-Bonded dragons
-Outcast scholar FMC
-Slow burn
-Sense, fate, & blood magic
-1st person dual POV
February 15, 2026
The book is very well written on a sentence level, but the underlying messages and themes are poorly executed. The author’s prose was strong enough that I finished the book, took a breath, and then realised I’d just read a pile of misogynistic bullshit steeped in racialised othering.
It offers nothing new to the romantasy genre: the same misogynistic, fated fae romance, this time with dragons, pale moon-touched people, and a painfully basic magic system. Of course, the dragon riders are white colonisers who assert dominance by controlling and abusing mystical beasts. Meanwhile, Tani, the FMC is conveniently “tanned,” the only brown or non-ashy white character in the story. Characters with non-white skin are repeatedly framed as wild and uncivilised, while the author lingers on Tani’s “exotic” beauty: white hair contrasted against deep golden-brown skin. By the end, she even acquires sapphire blue eyes, conveniently whitening her further. The story could have existed without this Wuthering Heights-style othering that paints non-white cultures as savages. The Sightlands is portrayed as medieval Eurocentric but the Soundlands and places where nature is valued are wild and uncivilised…
Tani is practically the only female character with any presence in the story. The rest might as well be dead or houseplants. Women exist solely as accessories for men or as narrative tools to move Tani from one plot point to another. They contribute nothing. Women are framed as childbearers, trophies, obstacles or things to be mounted and controlled. Even the powerful female dragon, Vellantris, is killed by her son, reinforcing the idea that no female figure is allowed to survive, let alone thrive. Aside from Yvon, (Tani’s mentor and only female friend’s mother) the only woman given any narrative weight is Princess Dreynalis who is a villain, making the only proactive woman someone Tani must fight.
This raises the central problem: what is the point of writing a story about an FMC with no autonomy?
Am I meant to be impressed by the two inches of agency she gains at the end, especially when her “five years of planning” show no intelligence or foresight? She spends five years trying to survive and living in a cave to go back to the prince who ruined her life, rather than trying to recreate her life or search for her parents. This is lazy plotting paired with an even lazier romance. There is nothing compelling about the MMC, and by the final chapter Tani is still a weak protagonist who requires male protection exactly as she did in chapter one.
The worldbuilding collapses under its own misogyny. The world reveres a female deity, Ammune, yet women are barred from accessing magic. Men are allowed to claim her power, but women are dismissed, controlled, or married off. Ammune is described with white hair and moon-like eyes—traits mirrored in Moontouched women—yet these same women are persecuted by nearly every culture except the Sightlands. The Soundlands and Touchlands appear more spiritually aligned with Ammune, yet still reject her followers. The logic simply does not hold.
The suggestion that Tani may be Ammune’s reincarnation is laughable when she cannot access divine power without a man to fulfil her fate. Worse, we’re told her magic is from her dead twin brother in the womb, reinforcing the idea that power rightfully belongs to men even when the source of that power is a goddess.
The baby dragon is another baffling choice. In a world where dragons are weapons and symbols of power, giving Tani a newborn dragon while the most violent kingdom hunts her makes no sense. The dragon cannot protect her, and she cannot protect it. The baby dragon is a burden and and offers no justification for why this choice would ensure her survival. After waiting five years for the dragon to grow, Tani immediately returns to the prince and is shocked when she ends up in the same powerless position as before.
Structurally, Act I and Act II are identical. Tani has no meaningful choices. She is displayed, and, passed around. She is a commodity. Act III does not meaningfully change thisit simply repackages her lack of agency as destiny fulfilled.
What Tani is supposedly fighting for never feels real because the story never gave her anything fight for. I was initially interested in the fate concept, but I should have known better. No one writes misogyny quite like heterosexual women determined to uphold the patriarchy. Why give Tani a marriage fate at all? There is no narrative justification beyond forcing a deeply questionable romance.
Sexism is boring especially when nothing resists it and the FMC submits at every turn. Tani isn’t even given a female friend to share her perspective. Her closest female companion is portrayed as unhinged because the wind is too loud (she’s from the Soundlands), and then promptly disappears from the narrative. This isn’t a worldbuilding flaw; it’s a logic problem.
Tani’s response to her fate can be summarised simply: I hope I don’t get an arranged marriage. I’ll act dumb during the fate test. Oh no! I got a marriage fate. Now I’ll try to look pretty and hope for a decent life.
That is the story. Her character growth can be measured the same way you’d measure a toenail growing back after smashing your foot into a coffee table
It offers nothing new to the romantasy genre: the same misogynistic, fated fae romance, this time with dragons, pale moon-touched people, and a painfully basic magic system. Of course, the dragon riders are white colonisers who assert dominance by controlling and abusing mystical beasts. Meanwhile, Tani, the FMC is conveniently “tanned,” the only brown or non-ashy white character in the story. Characters with non-white skin are repeatedly framed as wild and uncivilised, while the author lingers on Tani’s “exotic” beauty: white hair contrasted against deep golden-brown skin. By the end, she even acquires sapphire blue eyes, conveniently whitening her further. The story could have existed without this Wuthering Heights-style othering that paints non-white cultures as savages. The Sightlands is portrayed as medieval Eurocentric but the Soundlands and places where nature is valued are wild and uncivilised…
Tani is practically the only female character with any presence in the story. The rest might as well be dead or houseplants. Women exist solely as accessories for men or as narrative tools to move Tani from one plot point to another. They contribute nothing. Women are framed as childbearers, trophies, obstacles or things to be mounted and controlled. Even the powerful female dragon, Vellantris, is killed by her son, reinforcing the idea that no female figure is allowed to survive, let alone thrive. Aside from Yvon, (Tani’s mentor and only female friend’s mother) the only woman given any narrative weight is Princess Dreynalis who is a villain, making the only proactive woman someone Tani must fight.
This raises the central problem: what is the point of writing a story about an FMC with no autonomy?
Am I meant to be impressed by the two inches of agency she gains at the end, especially when her “five years of planning” show no intelligence or foresight? She spends five years trying to survive and living in a cave to go back to the prince who ruined her life, rather than trying to recreate her life or search for her parents. This is lazy plotting paired with an even lazier romance. There is nothing compelling about the MMC, and by the final chapter Tani is still a weak protagonist who requires male protection exactly as she did in chapter one.
The worldbuilding collapses under its own misogyny. The world reveres a female deity, Ammune, yet women are barred from accessing magic. Men are allowed to claim her power, but women are dismissed, controlled, or married off. Ammune is described with white hair and moon-like eyes—traits mirrored in Moontouched women—yet these same women are persecuted by nearly every culture except the Sightlands. The Soundlands and Touchlands appear more spiritually aligned with Ammune, yet still reject her followers. The logic simply does not hold.
The suggestion that Tani may be Ammune’s reincarnation is laughable when she cannot access divine power without a man to fulfil her fate. Worse, we’re told her magic is from her dead twin brother in the womb, reinforcing the idea that power rightfully belongs to men even when the source of that power is a goddess.
The baby dragon is another baffling choice. In a world where dragons are weapons and symbols of power, giving Tani a newborn dragon while the most violent kingdom hunts her makes no sense. The dragon cannot protect her, and she cannot protect it. The baby dragon is a burden and and offers no justification for why this choice would ensure her survival. After waiting five years for the dragon to grow, Tani immediately returns to the prince and is shocked when she ends up in the same powerless position as before.
Structurally, Act I and Act II are identical. Tani has no meaningful choices. She is displayed, and, passed around. She is a commodity. Act III does not meaningfully change thisit simply repackages her lack of agency as destiny fulfilled.
What Tani is supposedly fighting for never feels real because the story never gave her anything fight for. I was initially interested in the fate concept, but I should have known better. No one writes misogyny quite like heterosexual women determined to uphold the patriarchy. Why give Tani a marriage fate at all? There is no narrative justification beyond forcing a deeply questionable romance.
Sexism is boring especially when nothing resists it and the FMC submits at every turn. Tani isn’t even given a female friend to share her perspective. Her closest female companion is portrayed as unhinged because the wind is too loud (she’s from the Soundlands), and then promptly disappears from the narrative. This isn’t a worldbuilding flaw; it’s a logic problem.
Tani’s response to her fate can be summarised simply: I hope I don’t get an arranged marriage. I’ll act dumb during the fate test. Oh no! I got a marriage fate. Now I’ll try to look pretty and hope for a decent life.
That is the story. Her character growth can be measured the same way you’d measure a toenail growing back after smashing your foot into a coffee table
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2025
**Take this all with a grain of salt I’m a light reader and certainly not a critic. Feeling very thankful to have been gifted an advanced copy of this!!**
Could be convinced to move this to a 3.5/5 because I like the ending. The ending was the first time I didn’t feel like I needed to convince myself of any of the characters feelings. Where the plot truly made sense for me.
The rest of this review is random unorganized notes —
First sentence was extremely difficult to read - did not set a good tone to start. First chapter was confusing? Which is a given since it’s setting up a new fantasy world but it took me a while to fully understand what was going on.
Multiple quotes from Pride and Prejudice? I am not sure if this was intentional by the author or not. The quotes didn’t seem to fit though given they’re from 18th/19th century England. The conversation and wording of the rest of the book is much closer to 21st century linguistics. Author might be a big fan of P&P like me so I get it but it felt a little out of place.
Okay follow up to ^ I’ve actually noticed the conversation seems to change up a lot? Sometimes they’re speaking in old/proper English and other times modern? Perhaps this was intentional but who am I to say.
General gripe with fantasy: Genuinely confused how someone can go from manic (bc of baby dragon being stolen) to kissing (dragon still not found) within 10 minutes…this is always so common in fantasy books and I will never understand it.
I think in general I did not feel the wow factor reading this book. I’m not sure if some parts felt too predictable or just didn’t get me emotionally attached? But I am left wanting more.
With that said…I do have higher hopes for the second book. And I do want to know what happens. It’s an interesting and unique type of magic that I enjoyed learning about. And a cliffhanger will always leave me ready for more!! The author seems very eager and nice so I wish them luck on the release and in future works!
Could be convinced to move this to a 3.5/5 because I like the ending. The ending was the first time I didn’t feel like I needed to convince myself of any of the characters feelings. Where the plot truly made sense for me.
The rest of this review is random unorganized notes —
First sentence was extremely difficult to read - did not set a good tone to start. First chapter was confusing? Which is a given since it’s setting up a new fantasy world but it took me a while to fully understand what was going on.
Multiple quotes from Pride and Prejudice? I am not sure if this was intentional by the author or not. The quotes didn’t seem to fit though given they’re from 18th/19th century England. The conversation and wording of the rest of the book is much closer to 21st century linguistics. Author might be a big fan of P&P like me so I get it but it felt a little out of place.
Okay follow up to ^ I’ve actually noticed the conversation seems to change up a lot? Sometimes they’re speaking in old/proper English and other times modern? Perhaps this was intentional but who am I to say.
General gripe with fantasy: Genuinely confused how someone can go from manic (bc of baby dragon being stolen) to kissing (dragon still not found) within 10 minutes…this is always so common in fantasy books and I will never understand it.
I think in general I did not feel the wow factor reading this book. I’m not sure if some parts felt too predictable or just didn’t get me emotionally attached? But I am left wanting more.
With that said…I do have higher hopes for the second book. And I do want to know what happens. It’s an interesting and unique type of magic that I enjoyed learning about. And a cliffhanger will always leave me ready for more!! The author seems very eager and nice so I wish them luck on the release and in future works!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 24, 2025
Oh. My. Gosh. I need book 2 like YESTERDAY!!! This book was SO GOOD! The tension?! The PLOT?! The edge of my seat what’s gonna happen next?! Easily gets my 5 stars. Everyone needs to read this ASAP!!!!
January 1, 2026
I had a wonderful time with To Touch A Silent Fury. The writing was beautiful and drew me in quickly. The author took her time to establish the world in the first few chapters, which I really appreciated. There was a lot of world-building from the get-go, but it didn‘t feel overwhelming. The story caught my interest early on and the magic based on scent, sight, sound, taste, and touch felt different & unique.
Something else I really enjoyed: While the romance was a key element of the plotline, it didn‘t dominante the story. Instead, it lingered (mostly) in the background and developed alongside it—a delicate slow burn filled with loads of tension and confusing feelings. It let me get invested in the overall story while silently rooting for Tani & Lang.
A little nitpick: When their first kiss finally happened, I was delighted & disappointed at the same time. Considering the circumstances, it felt somehow wrong and kinda absurd in the moment? Also, I wish there was a bit more depth to Tani & Lang‘s relationship. I hope things move beyond just physical attraction in book 2 (and I‘m sure they will).
Towards the end, things really picked up. There were some convenient bits, but I was so engrossed that I didn’t mind. Certain twists and how they played out I didn‘t see coming, and now I can‘t wait for the sequel to arrive!
Something else I really enjoyed: While the romance was a key element of the plotline, it didn‘t dominante the story. Instead, it lingered (mostly) in the background and developed alongside it—a delicate slow burn filled with loads of tension and confusing feelings. It let me get invested in the overall story while silently rooting for Tani & Lang.
A little nitpick: When their first kiss finally happened, I was delighted & disappointed at the same time. Considering the circumstances, it felt somehow wrong and kinda absurd in the moment? Also, I wish there was a bit more depth to Tani & Lang‘s relationship. I hope things move beyond just physical attraction in book 2 (and I‘m sure they will).
Towards the end, things really picked up. There were some convenient bits, but I was so engrossed that I didn’t mind. Certain twists and how they played out I didn‘t see coming, and now I can‘t wait for the sequel to arrive!
February 26, 2026
4.5☆ no spice
I loved the world building and magic system based on the 5 senses. The moontouched and unlocking fates was so unique. I will say the world building is heavy in the beginning. The names were a little hard for me to grasp if it was a person, place, magic or dragon name but it eventually comes together and could not put this down. The pacing was addictive and the story was constantly moving. Our girl Tani can not catch a break!
This is a slowww burn..never have I craved fingers brushing! The yearning from Lang!!!
Dropping a half a star because the last 15% felt a little rushed and also as much as I was yearning for them to be together it seemed a little misplaced given their circumstances.
Overall I would highly recommend this book!!! The fact that I read this in a day and stayed up too late to finish tells you I was consumed!
Court Politics
Unique magic system
High Fantasy, romantic subplot
Slow Burn
Dragons/Wyverns
Mind speak/bonding
Hidden Identity
Fast Paced
Dual POV
I loved the world building and magic system based on the 5 senses. The moontouched and unlocking fates was so unique. I will say the world building is heavy in the beginning. The names were a little hard for me to grasp if it was a person, place, magic or dragon name but it eventually comes together and could not put this down. The pacing was addictive and the story was constantly moving. Our girl Tani can not catch a break!
This is a slowww burn..never have I craved fingers brushing! The yearning from Lang!!!
Dropping a half a star because the last 15% felt a little rushed and also as much as I was yearning for them to be together it seemed a little misplaced given their circumstances.
Overall I would highly recommend this book!!! The fact that I read this in a day and stayed up too late to finish tells you I was consumed!
Court Politics
Unique magic system
High Fantasy, romantic subplot
Slow Burn
Dragons/Wyverns
Mind speak/bonding
Hidden Identity
Fast Paced
Dual POV
November 12, 2025
I liked the plot and the world but the romance lacked substance. The MMC and FMC didn't really get to know each other. Whenever he spoke of his feelings it wa in regards to her beauty. I'm sorry but I want romance built on deeper things than physical attraction.
August 11, 2025
Find this review and more on our blog, Willow Wraith Press! And don't miss my chat with R.A. Sandpiper on 8/27, on youtube!
https://willowwraithpress.com/2025/08...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A_fN...
Every once in a while, a book falls into my lap and once I get going, it usually takes a bit to see how I'm gonna end up feeling about it. Which I feel like is a pretty normal thing after all. But this one?
I don't know the last time I crushed a book this quickly. And I knew almost immediately that would be the case.
To Touch a Silent Fury is an absolutely awesome book, and I really loved it. I was a tiny bit apprehensive, since I saw it in some other posts with the romantasy tag; I'm not a romantasy hater, just more unfamiliar with the genre but I do know Sandpiper's reputation among other people I trust, plus I have her first trilogy so I knew whatever the genre, it was bound to be good. I'm glad my intuition was right about that, because this was better than good; it was fantastic.
The biggest positive for me was the world building and backstory that she gave the characters before any major plot shifts occured. Lots of times, stories can be "this happened, and this THIS, and holy crap NOW THIS" and I'm left going "....who the hell are these people?" TTASF was a slow-burn, that took its time in getting us familiar with the characters, their backgrounds, their motives, everything. And it made the payoff of the book that much more hard hitting since we're very much fully integrated into the story by then.
As far as the story goes, I generally try to keep plot points out of reviews; no spoilers here. But the gist of it, Tani is a moontouched girl who is sent to an island where she trains with all the other moontouched, who are boys. Along the way she is given her Fate; one of five different outcomes for her once she comes of age, and only by exploring that Fate can she fully grasp her abilities. Unfortunately for her, the Fate she's given isn't what she had hoped for and that sets the story off and running. As far as characters go, I thought she was incredible. We get to see her journey and watch how she progresses; a far cry from immediately seeing a character knowing how to do everything, this was a nice change of pace to see the obstacles that she overcame along the way.
I had my wish; I was off the island. But, as in every fable I had ever read, wishes were a terrible thing. Once you got your heart's desire, it rarely turned out the way one hoped.
The other POV is Lang, a dragon-riding Prince who is sent to watch Tani's final testing before being given the Fate. Along the way, we do dive a lot more into his mind and find out how not only he views himself, but how his father and family relationships have impacted his beliefs, and the ways in which he's trying to both appease them and also make his own mark.
What is loyalty, really, but a lack of choice?
As the story continued, there are twists and turns aplenty. Especially the last 80-100 pages; I don't think I put it down until I was done, and as soon as I was, frantically googled "to touch a silent fury book 2?"
Overall, like I said, I loved this book. I think it's perfect for people who are fans of not just romantasy (of which there really wasn't much spice and more importantly the relationships and love stories that were in the book were very well done), but for fantasy fans in general. This book is a perfect example of why it's so important to not just have a cool idea, but beautiful words to go along with it and Sandpiper has just that. The prose is fantastic, the descriptive language masterful. It felt like I was living in a fully fleshed out world by the time the story got up and running, and I think that is a testament to her talent; I can't recommend going out and getting this fast enough.
https://willowwraithpress.com/2025/08...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A_fN...
Every once in a while, a book falls into my lap and once I get going, it usually takes a bit to see how I'm gonna end up feeling about it. Which I feel like is a pretty normal thing after all. But this one?
I don't know the last time I crushed a book this quickly. And I knew almost immediately that would be the case.
To Touch a Silent Fury is an absolutely awesome book, and I really loved it. I was a tiny bit apprehensive, since I saw it in some other posts with the romantasy tag; I'm not a romantasy hater, just more unfamiliar with the genre but I do know Sandpiper's reputation among other people I trust, plus I have her first trilogy so I knew whatever the genre, it was bound to be good. I'm glad my intuition was right about that, because this was better than good; it was fantastic.
The biggest positive for me was the world building and backstory that she gave the characters before any major plot shifts occured. Lots of times, stories can be "this happened, and this THIS, and holy crap NOW THIS" and I'm left going "....who the hell are these people?" TTASF was a slow-burn, that took its time in getting us familiar with the characters, their backgrounds, their motives, everything. And it made the payoff of the book that much more hard hitting since we're very much fully integrated into the story by then.
As far as the story goes, I generally try to keep plot points out of reviews; no spoilers here. But the gist of it, Tani is a moontouched girl who is sent to an island where she trains with all the other moontouched, who are boys. Along the way she is given her Fate; one of five different outcomes for her once she comes of age, and only by exploring that Fate can she fully grasp her abilities. Unfortunately for her, the Fate she's given isn't what she had hoped for and that sets the story off and running. As far as characters go, I thought she was incredible. We get to see her journey and watch how she progresses; a far cry from immediately seeing a character knowing how to do everything, this was a nice change of pace to see the obstacles that she overcame along the way.
I had my wish; I was off the island. But, as in every fable I had ever read, wishes were a terrible thing. Once you got your heart's desire, it rarely turned out the way one hoped.
The other POV is Lang, a dragon-riding Prince who is sent to watch Tani's final testing before being given the Fate. Along the way, we do dive a lot more into his mind and find out how not only he views himself, but how his father and family relationships have impacted his beliefs, and the ways in which he's trying to both appease them and also make his own mark.
What is loyalty, really, but a lack of choice?
As the story continued, there are twists and turns aplenty. Especially the last 80-100 pages; I don't think I put it down until I was done, and as soon as I was, frantically googled "to touch a silent fury book 2?"
Overall, like I said, I loved this book. I think it's perfect for people who are fans of not just romantasy (of which there really wasn't much spice and more importantly the relationships and love stories that were in the book were very well done), but for fantasy fans in general. This book is a perfect example of why it's so important to not just have a cool idea, but beautiful words to go along with it and Sandpiper has just that. The prose is fantastic, the descriptive language masterful. It felt like I was living in a fully fleshed out world by the time the story got up and running, and I think that is a testament to her talent; I can't recommend going out and getting this fast enough.
August 14, 2025
Oh man...the more I think on this book the more I just love it.
It definitely starts with a lot of world building which can sometimes be complicated but it all comes together so trust the process!
While this story is fairly long...every word builds the tale, the suspense, the tension! Every character has a fulsome background, with rich history and they bring that to life in each chapter.
I've read this authors first series and was obsessed so I was a little worried that this wouldn't measure up. I should get a grip! This was an incredible read.
Dual POV's always makes me happy! We get both Tani's and Langs side of things as we go and I love that.
The magic system is very unique and interesting and the story is built around Tani trying to come into her fated power but when a pretty major twist happens, things definitely start to go off the rails. This is not a romantasy to me, it feels like a big epic fantasy with dragons and magic with side of slow burn love (and I mean sloooow)
We also get some awesome twists and turns to the plot and once it ramps up...we are on a great ride to the last page!
I'm already rabid for book 2!!
I was honoured to receive an ARC to read and review, my thoughts are my own!
It definitely starts with a lot of world building which can sometimes be complicated but it all comes together so trust the process!
While this story is fairly long...every word builds the tale, the suspense, the tension! Every character has a fulsome background, with rich history and they bring that to life in each chapter.
I've read this authors first series and was obsessed so I was a little worried that this wouldn't measure up. I should get a grip! This was an incredible read.
Dual POV's always makes me happy! We get both Tani's and Langs side of things as we go and I love that.
The magic system is very unique and interesting and the story is built around Tani trying to come into her fated power but when a pretty major twist happens, things definitely start to go off the rails. This is not a romantasy to me, it feels like a big epic fantasy with dragons and magic with side of slow burn love (and I mean sloooow)
We also get some awesome twists and turns to the plot and once it ramps up...we are on a great ride to the last page!
I'm already rabid for book 2!!
I was honoured to receive an ARC to read and review, my thoughts are my own!
August 1, 2025
4.50 ⭐️
I was graced with the honour of getting an ARC of this book, my first ever ARC even.
What a read! After reading about 30 % of the book the anxiety already started rising in me. Knowing I already liked the book a lot and knowing it was the first in a series of two. The firat book has not even been released and I'm already longing for the sequel.
The story is well-written and kept me on my toes throughout the whole of it. There was excitement that kept building my interest all the way. There was a part in the middle that was a little bit slower but then the rest of the booked swooped in and I was awed again.
The magic, dragons and worldbuilding in the story was very interesting with a good amount of desciptions. And there we definately characters I fell in love with!
It made me smile and it made me read constantly, every litte free minute I had. But it also brought a few tears and some annoyance, everything precisely as it should be.
I can't wait for the sequel to be released! ❤️
I was graced with the honour of getting an ARC of this book, my first ever ARC even.
What a read! After reading about 30 % of the book the anxiety already started rising in me. Knowing I already liked the book a lot and knowing it was the first in a series of two. The firat book has not even been released and I'm already longing for the sequel.
The story is well-written and kept me on my toes throughout the whole of it. There was excitement that kept building my interest all the way. There was a part in the middle that was a little bit slower but then the rest of the booked swooped in and I was awed again.
The magic, dragons and worldbuilding in the story was very interesting with a good amount of desciptions. And there we definately characters I fell in love with!
It made me smile and it made me read constantly, every litte free minute I had. But it also brought a few tears and some annoyance, everything precisely as it should be.
I can't wait for the sequel to be released! ❤️
August 10, 2025
First of all I would like to thank the Author for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC !!
Small spoilers ahead. Not major.
I have a lot to say? First of all, the names 😀 They did not work for me but I understand. Fantasy names and all.
Second, the world building wasn’t weak? But it wasn’t strong either. I feel like the author had thought it out so well herself but struggled to get it across on paper for an audience that knew nothing about this world she built. I struggled through the first few chapters simply because it was difficult to understand - there were so many kingdoms, characters, names, religions, cultures and it was all just thrown at you. Even 300 pages into the book I was still getting confused with who was who and where was where.
So because of this I didn’t really understand WHY the Touchlands were so hated, or why there was a war between the Sightlands and Scentlands? I think. Also, not much was explained about the Moontouched. The world seemed a bit disconnected. Though I’ve heard the author express before that she writes fantasy first and romance second, I didn’t feel this way while reading. The fantasy aspect of this was confusing, politics and warfare under-explained.
On the other hand, I did like the characters. Tanidwen and Langnathin (?) were both very interesting and complex. I wish we could have seen more from Lang’s perspective. 75% of the book was from Tani. Their stories really compelled me to read on, I was DEEPLY interested and intrigued in Tanidwen’s fate and whether she would achieve it and how. Most of the twists were predictable but enjoyable nonetheless.
The romance was good. It was described as slow burn but to me it wasn’t. They were both instantly attracted to one another. Later, when they meet again, Tani reflects on her years hating Lang for what he did to her and while this would be an obvious feeling for her to have, it wasn’t explored much - I didn’t feel or believe she actually spent any time hating him. He seemed mostly forgotten, to be honest. Talked about factually rather than emotionally. Then when they meet again, they’re both instantly attracted to each other….again. They weren’t even really enemies either, theoretically yes, but again, it didn’t feel that way.
Also “I’m covered in blood, my dragon has been stolen, I’m distraught and terrified but yes, let’s make out.” ??? I don’t know, it didn’t work for me. I was eagerly awaiting their first kiss for the whole book and was a bit disappointed when it finally happened.
The author’s writing was compelling, and beautiful, though. But did I spy some Jane Austen quotes???? Like Pride and Prejudice?? I’m sure there was another one and if I find it, I’ll come back and edit.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I’m looking forward to the next one to see what happens and if Tani and Lang reconcile.
Small spoilers ahead. Not major.
I have a lot to say? First of all, the names 😀 They did not work for me but I understand. Fantasy names and all.
Second, the world building wasn’t weak? But it wasn’t strong either. I feel like the author had thought it out so well herself but struggled to get it across on paper for an audience that knew nothing about this world she built. I struggled through the first few chapters simply because it was difficult to understand - there were so many kingdoms, characters, names, religions, cultures and it was all just thrown at you. Even 300 pages into the book I was still getting confused with who was who and where was where.
So because of this I didn’t really understand WHY the Touchlands were so hated, or why there was a war between the Sightlands and Scentlands? I think. Also, not much was explained about the Moontouched. The world seemed a bit disconnected. Though I’ve heard the author express before that she writes fantasy first and romance second, I didn’t feel this way while reading. The fantasy aspect of this was confusing, politics and warfare under-explained.
On the other hand, I did like the characters. Tanidwen and Langnathin (?) were both very interesting and complex. I wish we could have seen more from Lang’s perspective. 75% of the book was from Tani. Their stories really compelled me to read on, I was DEEPLY interested and intrigued in Tanidwen’s fate and whether she would achieve it and how. Most of the twists were predictable but enjoyable nonetheless.
The romance was good. It was described as slow burn but to me it wasn’t. They were both instantly attracted to one another. Later, when they meet again, Tani reflects on her years hating Lang for what he did to her and while this would be an obvious feeling for her to have, it wasn’t explored much - I didn’t feel or believe she actually spent any time hating him. He seemed mostly forgotten, to be honest. Talked about factually rather than emotionally. Then when they meet again, they’re both instantly attracted to each other….again. They weren’t even really enemies either, theoretically yes, but again, it didn’t feel that way.
Also “I’m covered in blood, my dragon has been stolen, I’m distraught and terrified but yes, let’s make out.” ??? I don’t know, it didn’t work for me. I was eagerly awaiting their first kiss for the whole book and was a bit disappointed when it finally happened.
The author’s writing was compelling, and beautiful, though. But did I spy some Jane Austen quotes???? Like Pride and Prejudice?? I’m sure there was another one and if I find it, I’ll come back and edit.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I’m looking forward to the next one to see what happens and if Tani and Lang reconcile.
September 27, 2025
3⭐️
I initially enjoyed this, it started to drag in the middle and then picked up slightly again towards the end. I’ve enjoyed this authors previous works but this one just didn’t wow me.
The FMC didn’t have a whole lot of personality.. and the romance for me was abit too insta lovey. Liked the dragon aspect and the writing was good.
Don’t think I’d continue this series if I’m honest..💫
I initially enjoyed this, it started to drag in the middle and then picked up slightly again towards the end. I’ve enjoyed this authors previous works but this one just didn’t wow me.
The FMC didn’t have a whole lot of personality.. and the romance for me was abit too insta lovey. Liked the dragon aspect and the writing was good.
Don’t think I’d continue this series if I’m honest..💫
January 12, 2026
Okay, wow. This was a 4.5 star read for me and honestly surprised me in the best way. I went in expecting a solid fantasy romance and ended up completely invested in the world, the politics, the magic, and especially the characters.
Tani is such a strong main character. I loved how determined, stubborn, and quietly furious she is about having her choices taken away from her. She’s powerful, but not in an effortless way. She has to fight for every inch of control she gains, and that made her incredibly compelling to read about. She doesn’t just accept fate, she challenges it, questions it, and resents it in a way that felt very real.
The dynamic between Tani and Lang was a huge highlight for me! This is very much enemies-to-lovers, with a slow burn that actually earns its payoff. There’s tension, clashing goals, grudging respect, and a lot of moments where you can tell neither of them wants to care as much as they do. Their relationship develops in a way that feels messy and complicated, which I adored!
The worldbuilding is actually insane. There’s a lot going on (fate ceremonies, magical powers, dragon riders, political intrigue, tournaments, different cultures (that are so interesting)) but it’s introduced in a way that didn’t feel like an info dump. It was still a lot early on, but once I found my footing, I was fully immersed! The plot is well-paced overall, though it takes a bit to really get going. Once it does, though, it’s so addictive. I kept telling myself “just one more chapter” and then suddenly a big reveal or emotional moment would hit.
Also: dragons. Always a win. They felt important and integrated into the story rather than just being there for vibes (even though the vibes are excellent). By the end, I was completely invested and very ready for what comes next. This feels like the start of something much bigger, and I’m genuinely excited to continue the series!
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
Tani is such a strong main character. I loved how determined, stubborn, and quietly furious she is about having her choices taken away from her. She’s powerful, but not in an effortless way. She has to fight for every inch of control she gains, and that made her incredibly compelling to read about. She doesn’t just accept fate, she challenges it, questions it, and resents it in a way that felt very real.
The dynamic between Tani and Lang was a huge highlight for me! This is very much enemies-to-lovers, with a slow burn that actually earns its payoff. There’s tension, clashing goals, grudging respect, and a lot of moments where you can tell neither of them wants to care as much as they do. Their relationship develops in a way that feels messy and complicated, which I adored!
The worldbuilding is actually insane. There’s a lot going on (fate ceremonies, magical powers, dragon riders, political intrigue, tournaments, different cultures (that are so interesting)) but it’s introduced in a way that didn’t feel like an info dump. It was still a lot early on, but once I found my footing, I was fully immersed! The plot is well-paced overall, though it takes a bit to really get going. Once it does, though, it’s so addictive. I kept telling myself “just one more chapter” and then suddenly a big reveal or emotional moment would hit.
Also: dragons. Always a win. They felt important and integrated into the story rather than just being there for vibes (even though the vibes are excellent). By the end, I was completely invested and very ready for what comes next. This feels like the start of something much bigger, and I’m genuinely excited to continue the series!
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
November 22, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ (rounded up)
🫑
✨Idk if this technically qualifies as an ARC review or not. 😆 It was originally supposedly to be, but I missed the ARC download email and by the time I realized, it had closed. So I read it on KU. For transparency, I wanted to disclose that it's somewhat of an ARC review.
🫵🏼 To Touch a Silent Fury is for you if:
• you've been wanting to try epic fantasy but feel daunted by it
• you like epic fantasy, with a side quest of romance
• you love reading about dragons
• you love a story about self-liberation and agency
• you enjoy political machinations and intrigue
• you enjoy a slow burn where the physical attraction starts nearly immediately (but isn't communicated to the other not acted upon for a long time)
• you appreciate a strong dragon bond, one that's meaningful, intelligent, and part of the larger magical-political world
• enjoy a real sense of stakes (personal and political) giving the book weight
📓 Her magic terrifies him. His dragon terrifies everyone. But when a political game turns deadly, they become each other's only chance at freedom.
Centered around Tani, the sole female in the Moontouched Brothernood, has an uncommon, potentially incredibly dangerous type of magic - Touch. She can read people's emotions with a simple brush of skin. When Tani is up for her Fate Ceremony (a process through which a ritual is conducted and her Fate is revealed in their blood when they reach a certain age). Quite unexpectedly, hers is revealed to be a rare (and unwanted) Marriage Fate. She has to marry the winner of the upcoming tournament if she wants to meet her Fate, or be Broken and be cast out. Fate Ceremonies set basically a quest for the participant and only through fulfilling it are they able to fully access their powers - and it strengthens their power.
Lang, our other MC, an insubordinate Crown Prince is one of the couple people left in the world to hold the reigns of a dragon. He's present when Tani's Fate is revealed and has serious concerns about the safety concerns her power could have for the world, especially if she's able to meet her Fate and her power is elevated. Her power would have the ability to topple empires.
"They both arrive at the games. Her, to claim her Fate. Him, to destroy it by any means possible."
📖 I thoroughly enjoyed this layered, nuanced plot. I love the focus on and discussion of agency.
“What is loyalty, really, but a lack of choice.”
I especially liked some of the metaphors within, like Tani's touch magic. I see it as a metaphor for intimacy, transparency, and vulnerability. Her power makes her uniquely connected to others, but also dangerous - symbolic of how emotional exposure can be both powerful and risky.
I love the way dragons are handled (and particularly enjoy the bits of communication with them). They're not just symbolic beasts but symbolize ancient power, legacy, and lost/endangered magic.
Fate Ceremony/Fates, to me, are a metaphor for societal expectations. The roles individuals are forced into, or how power structures dictate one's future.
✍🏼 Epic fantasy can be (or at least feel) daunting to many because of the epic, vast world, extensive lore, large number of characters, etc. This book is written in such a way that I think makes it more accessible to those new/newer to the genre. And it does so without sacrificing any of the things seasoned epic fantasy fans love about the genre.
Dual POV provides a lot of nuance and enhances the story. The timing of POV changes was excellent, aiding in building suspense and tension while not making the reader feel frustrated or confused.
🗺️ This is epic fantasy so the world building is expansive, but handled quite well. You're dropped in and immersed, then learn the world as you go. If you're new to fantasy and read it, give it at least 50 pages if you're feeling lost initially.
⏳I found it wonderfully paced and hard to put down. The first couple chapters had me interested, and by a few chapters or so I was fully invested and wanted to pause the world to continue reading.
You know how sometimes books with dual POV switch POV right at (or just before) the precipice of tension and how frustrating that can be? Thankfully, we do not get that here.
🔮 I love this well developed and explained magic system and it's unique to me. Using all 5 senses as magic isn't something I've come across and I'm rabid to read more.
👥 The characters have so much depth. Tani, the only female in the Brotherhood, has long been the outcast of outcasts. While that shapes her identity, it also taught her to carve out space for herself through discipline, grit, and sheer refusal to be overlooked. She's a wonderful, tough, resilient character who is also wonderfully complex and not without flaws. Tani is the kind of character who doesn't want to stand out (because she's stood out and experienced all the negative that can come with it). She doesn't want to be special - but she absolutely is. Tani's internal fight was just as interesting to me as the external.
Lang is morally grey with a duality that I love: he's fierce and fiercely devoted to doing whatever is best for the greater good. Even if that makes him look like the villain. On the inside, he has a introspective, poetic soul. His relationship with his dragon is quite revealing.
"Of all the men to want, why did I have to want the one man I had hated for years?"
💖 There's some initial physical attraction, but I don't consider it insta-lust as it's just a "s/he's gorgeous" situation. Then inciting incident occurs and they're enemies for years, but it's more than that because one of them does the wrong thing for the right reasons (kind of). Or maybe it's the right thing for the wrong reasons for one of them, but you'll have to read to find out. 😆
🫑 If you're looking for spicy fantasy, this is not it. There is a good bit of tension and some kissing, though.
I'm torn as to how I feel about the main kissing scene. I love it and I know tensions and emotions being so high can lead to things like that, but it was a bit jarring to me. There was so much worry and stress looking for something very important to her, and then they're kissing. It makes sense (timing wise) to em, but also doesn't.
⚠️ Please check author's site for TW/CW
📚 If you liked: The Knight and the Moth (Rachel Gillig), The Fall Before Flight (Kristine Castillo Negron), When The Moon Hatched (Sarah A. Parker), or Fate of Dragons (Alisha Klapheke) than I think you'd enjoy To Touch a Silent Fury.
Thank you and also I'm sorry I missed the email for the eARC of this book @ RA Sandpiper. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
🫑
✨Idk if this technically qualifies as an ARC review or not. 😆 It was originally supposedly to be, but I missed the ARC download email and by the time I realized, it had closed. So I read it on KU. For transparency, I wanted to disclose that it's somewhat of an ARC review.
🫵🏼 To Touch a Silent Fury is for you if:
• you've been wanting to try epic fantasy but feel daunted by it
• you like epic fantasy, with a side quest of romance
• you love reading about dragons
• you love a story about self-liberation and agency
• you enjoy political machinations and intrigue
• you enjoy a slow burn where the physical attraction starts nearly immediately (but isn't communicated to the other not acted upon for a long time)
• you appreciate a strong dragon bond, one that's meaningful, intelligent, and part of the larger magical-political world
• enjoy a real sense of stakes (personal and political) giving the book weight
📓 Her magic terrifies him. His dragon terrifies everyone. But when a political game turns deadly, they become each other's only chance at freedom.
Centered around Tani, the sole female in the Moontouched Brothernood, has an uncommon, potentially incredibly dangerous type of magic - Touch. She can read people's emotions with a simple brush of skin. When Tani is up for her Fate Ceremony (a process through which a ritual is conducted and her Fate is revealed in their blood when they reach a certain age). Quite unexpectedly, hers is revealed to be a rare (and unwanted) Marriage Fate. She has to marry the winner of the upcoming tournament if she wants to meet her Fate, or be Broken and be cast out. Fate Ceremonies set basically a quest for the participant and only through fulfilling it are they able to fully access their powers - and it strengthens their power.
Lang, our other MC, an insubordinate Crown Prince is one of the couple people left in the world to hold the reigns of a dragon. He's present when Tani's Fate is revealed and has serious concerns about the safety concerns her power could have for the world, especially if she's able to meet her Fate and her power is elevated. Her power would have the ability to topple empires.
"They both arrive at the games. Her, to claim her Fate. Him, to destroy it by any means possible."
📖 I thoroughly enjoyed this layered, nuanced plot. I love the focus on and discussion of agency.
“What is loyalty, really, but a lack of choice.”
I especially liked some of the metaphors within, like Tani's touch magic. I see it as a metaphor for intimacy, transparency, and vulnerability. Her power makes her uniquely connected to others, but also dangerous - symbolic of how emotional exposure can be both powerful and risky.
I love the way dragons are handled (and particularly enjoy the bits of communication with them). They're not just symbolic beasts but symbolize ancient power, legacy, and lost/endangered magic.
Fate Ceremony/Fates, to me, are a metaphor for societal expectations. The roles individuals are forced into, or how power structures dictate one's future.
✍🏼 Epic fantasy can be (or at least feel) daunting to many because of the epic, vast world, extensive lore, large number of characters, etc. This book is written in such a way that I think makes it more accessible to those new/newer to the genre. And it does so without sacrificing any of the things seasoned epic fantasy fans love about the genre.
Dual POV provides a lot of nuance and enhances the story. The timing of POV changes was excellent, aiding in building suspense and tension while not making the reader feel frustrated or confused.
🗺️ This is epic fantasy so the world building is expansive, but handled quite well. You're dropped in and immersed, then learn the world as you go. If you're new to fantasy and read it, give it at least 50 pages if you're feeling lost initially.
⏳I found it wonderfully paced and hard to put down. The first couple chapters had me interested, and by a few chapters or so I was fully invested and wanted to pause the world to continue reading.
You know how sometimes books with dual POV switch POV right at (or just before) the precipice of tension and how frustrating that can be? Thankfully, we do not get that here.
🔮 I love this well developed and explained magic system and it's unique to me. Using all 5 senses as magic isn't something I've come across and I'm rabid to read more.
👥 The characters have so much depth. Tani, the only female in the Brotherhood, has long been the outcast of outcasts. While that shapes her identity, it also taught her to carve out space for herself through discipline, grit, and sheer refusal to be overlooked. She's a wonderful, tough, resilient character who is also wonderfully complex and not without flaws. Tani is the kind of character who doesn't want to stand out (because she's stood out and experienced all the negative that can come with it). She doesn't want to be special - but she absolutely is. Tani's internal fight was just as interesting to me as the external.
Lang is morally grey with a duality that I love: he's fierce and fiercely devoted to doing whatever is best for the greater good. Even if that makes him look like the villain. On the inside, he has a introspective, poetic soul. His relationship with his dragon is quite revealing.
"Of all the men to want, why did I have to want the one man I had hated for years?"
💖 There's some initial physical attraction, but I don't consider it insta-lust as it's just a "s/he's gorgeous" situation. Then inciting incident occurs and they're enemies for years, but it's more than that because one of them does the wrong thing for the right reasons (kind of). Or maybe it's the right thing for the wrong reasons for one of them, but you'll have to read to find out. 😆
🫑 If you're looking for spicy fantasy, this is not it. There is a good bit of tension and some kissing, though.
I'm torn as to how I feel about the main kissing scene. I love it and I know tensions and emotions being so high can lead to things like that, but it was a bit jarring to me. There was so much worry and stress looking for something very important to her, and then they're kissing. It makes sense (timing wise) to em, but also doesn't.
⚠️ Please check author's site for TW/CW
📚 If you liked: The Knight and the Moth (Rachel Gillig), The Fall Before Flight (Kristine Castillo Negron), When The Moon Hatched (Sarah A. Parker), or Fate of Dragons (Alisha Klapheke) than I think you'd enjoy To Touch a Silent Fury.
Thank you and also I'm sorry I missed the email for the eARC of this book @ RA Sandpiper. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
August 1, 2025
I am obsessed with this book! I was blessed enough to receive an ARC for this book and I cannot wait to get my hands on an actual copy. I could not put it down and read it in a day!
Tank and Lang’s journey was so beautifully written. I loved that we got both POVs throughout the book and yet nothing was given away until the perfect moment.
The world building was beautiful and the magic system was so unique and top notch!!
I will recommend this book to anyone who will listen!
Tank and Lang’s journey was so beautifully written. I loved that we got both POVs throughout the book and yet nothing was given away until the perfect moment.
The world building was beautiful and the magic system was so unique and top notch!!
I will recommend this book to anyone who will listen!
September 22, 2025
(I received and ARC copy of this book from the author)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"I was flying towards my Fate, whether I liked it or not. And flying right along with me was the man / had to force to marry me somehow. It was unfathomable, all of it. And yet, soaring on dragonback, it all felt possible."
Tani is the only woman in the Moontouched Brotherhood. In her Fate Ceremony, which determines five possible futures, she gets an unwanted Marriage Fate tied to the victor of the tournament held by the royals.
Lang, the disobedient and mysterious Crown Prince, is bonded to one of the only dragons left in the world. He knows Tani's touch power of sensing emotions makes her powerful, but if she marries the victor of the tournament, she could become unstoppable.
They both arrive at the tournament, him to destroy her fate, her to claim it.
I really enjoyed this book. Thank you to the author for my first ever ARC read! I was not disappointed AT ALL!
The world building was beautifully thought out, I loved the dual POV of the book, and the slow burn was immaculate! I enjoyed how we really got to know these characters, their backstories and motives. I felt fully apart of the story. And those last 100 pages had me in a chokehold! I devoured this book but man those last 100 pages..
I’m very excited for the next book in the series! I was googling when the next book was coming out the second I finished this one. I can’t recommend this book enough.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"I was flying towards my Fate, whether I liked it or not. And flying right along with me was the man / had to force to marry me somehow. It was unfathomable, all of it. And yet, soaring on dragonback, it all felt possible."
Tani is the only woman in the Moontouched Brotherhood. In her Fate Ceremony, which determines five possible futures, she gets an unwanted Marriage Fate tied to the victor of the tournament held by the royals.
Lang, the disobedient and mysterious Crown Prince, is bonded to one of the only dragons left in the world. He knows Tani's touch power of sensing emotions makes her powerful, but if she marries the victor of the tournament, she could become unstoppable.
They both arrive at the tournament, him to destroy her fate, her to claim it.
I really enjoyed this book. Thank you to the author for my first ever ARC read! I was not disappointed AT ALL!
The world building was beautifully thought out, I loved the dual POV of the book, and the slow burn was immaculate! I enjoyed how we really got to know these characters, their backstories and motives. I felt fully apart of the story. And those last 100 pages had me in a chokehold! I devoured this book but man those last 100 pages..
I’m very excited for the next book in the series! I was googling when the next book was coming out the second I finished this one. I can’t recommend this book enough.
July 26, 2025
To Touch a Silent Fury absolutely blew me away.
The FMC was everything I want in a protagonist — fierce, determined, and powerful, but also grounded in her emotions and vulnerability. She felt like a genuinely accurate depiction of strength and femininity, and I was fully behind her the whole way.
The MMC had me going through it — I loved to hate him at times, but as the layers peeled back and more of his truth was revealed, I totally understood him. By the end, I was rooting for him hard.
And Shadow? ICON. I wish we got even more of them.
One of my favourite scenes takes place in the forest (no spoilers, promise), and it was so atmospheric, tense, and beautifully written that I had to stop and just feel it for a second.
R.A. Sandpiper’s writing is deceptively simple — it flows so easily, but builds a world that feels complex and immersive. And the plot twists?? I could not stop reading. I was hooked from the start, and by the end, all I could think was I need book two immediately.
If you’re even thinking about picking this up, do it. This one deserves all the hype
The FMC was everything I want in a protagonist — fierce, determined, and powerful, but also grounded in her emotions and vulnerability. She felt like a genuinely accurate depiction of strength and femininity, and I was fully behind her the whole way.
The MMC had me going through it — I loved to hate him at times, but as the layers peeled back and more of his truth was revealed, I totally understood him. By the end, I was rooting for him hard.
And Shadow? ICON. I wish we got even more of them.
One of my favourite scenes takes place in the forest (no spoilers, promise), and it was so atmospheric, tense, and beautifully written that I had to stop and just feel it for a second.
R.A. Sandpiper’s writing is deceptively simple — it flows so easily, but builds a world that feels complex and immersive. And the plot twists?? I could not stop reading. I was hooked from the start, and by the end, all I could think was I need book two immediately.
If you’re even thinking about picking this up, do it. This one deserves all the hype
September 21, 2025
This was slooow. I don't know if it was just my tiredness that made me really struggle to get through the first half, or the pacing.
The world building is good and it is well written, but after all of the reviews I was expecting to like this more than I did.
I didn't really connect with Tani or Lang, and think they both behaved rather stupidly. I also didn't get much chemistry from them, which was a shame.
I will probably read the next book when it's out.
The world building is good and it is well written, but after all of the reviews I was expecting to like this more than I did.
I didn't really connect with Tani or Lang, and think they both behaved rather stupidly. I also didn't get much chemistry from them, which was a shame.
I will probably read the next book when it's out.
December 13, 2025
I really enjoyed
To Touch A Silent Fury
and honestly, this one surprised me in the best way. It was one of my November book club picks, but life and ARCs happened, so I only finished it in December. Zero regrets though, because this is a slow-burn, fate-heavy, dragon-touched romantasy that rewards you if you let it take its time.
First of all, Tanidwen . I loved her. She is tired, clever, quietly furious and painfully self-aware. From the start, you feel how boxed in her life is, especially when her Fate is announced and she realises her future autonomy hinges on violence rather than intelligence. That line about having to marry “a peacocking third son with an ego and a strong right hook” perfectly captures her voice. Dry, sharp and already exhausted by a world that keeps choosing for her. Her internal conflict is not about power for power’s sake. It is about agency. When she thinks, “If the only path to any sort of life was attached to a man's side, then I would suffer it,” you really feel how grim that calculation is. Survival, not romance, comes first.
Lang is… complicated. As he should be. He clocks Tani as dangerous early on, not because she is cruel, but because she is capable. His fear of what she could become clashes beautifully with his very obvious attraction to her. The tension between them is deliciously uncomfortable, especially when he tells her that in the Sightlands they covet "beauty above all else" and admits she is impossible to look away from . His POV moments are some of the strongest in the book. The shift from underestimating her to realising “This woman could start wars” felt earned and chilling in the best way.
And then there is Thread Ersimmon , who honestly stole my heart a bit. I adored how underestimated he was, and I wish we had more of him. He is gentle, observant and devastatingly perceptive. His quiet guidance of Tani, especially in the lead-up to the Games, was some of my favourite character work in the book. The whole exchange about smiling in silence and being unobtainable is funny, yes, but it also shows how deeply he understands the social battlefield she is being forced into. When he says, “If you show someone your strength and they choose to be threatened by it, the weakness is theirs alone,” it feels like the emotional thesis of his character. Loyal, steady and willing to stand beside her when the world starts to shake. Him promising, “I will be there when you bring this world to its knees,” lives rent-free in my head.
Seth deserves a mention too, because wow, emotional damage. His confession that he would have competed for her if he were allowed, despite knowing he would fail, is heartbreaking. The idea that the Brotherhood’s cruelty came from fear of her perfection adds another layer to Tani’s isolation and explains so much of her past.
The romance is very much a slow-burn and leans heavily on longing, regret and terrible timing. Lang’s obsession with Tani feels almost mythic at points, especially when he admits he would hang in darkness like the moon, thinking only of her. Dramatic? Yes. Effective? Also yes. Their relationship is messy and painful and tangled up in politics and prophecy, which makes every soft moment feel earned. When he looks at her suffering and can only think about needing to kiss her, it is unhinged in the way romantasy readers love.
The world-building is rich without being overwhelming. Dragons feel ancient and bonded rather than decorative, and Tani’s relationship with Hanindred is quietly devastating. Her vow to be his Shield until he is old enough to be her Sword says everything about her capacity for love and responsibility. I also appreciated how often the book interrogates the idea of Fate. Wishes are framed as dangerous, destiny as something that rarely gives without taking, and choice as something you sometimes have to claw out of the dirt. “I am choosing not to die. That is still a choice,” might be one of the most important lines in the book.
The emotional core is strong, the character work is thoughtful, and the slow-burn tension absolutely delivers.
Also, special shoutout to the Novaflame special edition because it is genuinely stunning and feels like the perfect home for a story this epic and intimate at the same time.
If you like romantasy where fate is cruel, women are underestimated at their own peril, and the longing hurts a little, this one is absolutely worth your time.
First of all, Tanidwen . I loved her. She is tired, clever, quietly furious and painfully self-aware. From the start, you feel how boxed in her life is, especially when her Fate is announced and she realises her future autonomy hinges on violence rather than intelligence. That line about having to marry “a peacocking third son with an ego and a strong right hook” perfectly captures her voice. Dry, sharp and already exhausted by a world that keeps choosing for her. Her internal conflict is not about power for power’s sake. It is about agency. When she thinks, “If the only path to any sort of life was attached to a man's side, then I would suffer it,” you really feel how grim that calculation is. Survival, not romance, comes first.
Lang is… complicated. As he should be. He clocks Tani as dangerous early on, not because she is cruel, but because she is capable. His fear of what she could become clashes beautifully with his very obvious attraction to her. The tension between them is deliciously uncomfortable, especially when he tells her that in the Sightlands they covet "beauty above all else" and admits she is impossible to look away from . His POV moments are some of the strongest in the book. The shift from underestimating her to realising “This woman could start wars” felt earned and chilling in the best way.
And then there is Thread Ersimmon , who honestly stole my heart a bit. I adored how underestimated he was, and I wish we had more of him. He is gentle, observant and devastatingly perceptive. His quiet guidance of Tani, especially in the lead-up to the Games, was some of my favourite character work in the book. The whole exchange about smiling in silence and being unobtainable is funny, yes, but it also shows how deeply he understands the social battlefield she is being forced into. When he says, “If you show someone your strength and they choose to be threatened by it, the weakness is theirs alone,” it feels like the emotional thesis of his character. Loyal, steady and willing to stand beside her when the world starts to shake. Him promising, “I will be there when you bring this world to its knees,” lives rent-free in my head.
Seth deserves a mention too, because wow, emotional damage. His confession that he would have competed for her if he were allowed, despite knowing he would fail, is heartbreaking. The idea that the Brotherhood’s cruelty came from fear of her perfection adds another layer to Tani’s isolation and explains so much of her past.
The romance is very much a slow-burn and leans heavily on longing, regret and terrible timing. Lang’s obsession with Tani feels almost mythic at points, especially when he admits he would hang in darkness like the moon, thinking only of her. Dramatic? Yes. Effective? Also yes. Their relationship is messy and painful and tangled up in politics and prophecy, which makes every soft moment feel earned. When he looks at her suffering and can only think about needing to kiss her, it is unhinged in the way romantasy readers love.
The world-building is rich without being overwhelming. Dragons feel ancient and bonded rather than decorative, and Tani’s relationship with Hanindred is quietly devastating. Her vow to be his Shield until he is old enough to be her Sword says everything about her capacity for love and responsibility. I also appreciated how often the book interrogates the idea of Fate. Wishes are framed as dangerous, destiny as something that rarely gives without taking, and choice as something you sometimes have to claw out of the dirt. “I am choosing not to die. That is still a choice,” might be one of the most important lines in the book.
The emotional core is strong, the character work is thoughtful, and the slow-burn tension absolutely delivers.
Also, special shoutout to the Novaflame special edition because it is genuinely stunning and feels like the perfect home for a story this epic and intimate at the same time.
If you like romantasy where fate is cruel, women are underestimated at their own peril, and the longing hurts a little, this one is absolutely worth your time.
September 8, 2025
✨️Arc Review✨️
🖤Unforgettable
🤍 Unputdownable
🖤 Unmatched
This is the kind of story that sets a new standard for the genre five stars no hesitation. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I went in curious and came out obsessed.
The writing is stunning, it has this flow that completely sweeps you away.
It’s emotional without being heavy, it’s beautiful without being complicated, and it gave me butterflies the whole way through.
You don’t just read this book you feel it, like the words settle right under your skin.
It’s the kind of story that reminds you why you love reading because it pulls you in so deep, you never want to leave.
Honestly.... It’s easily one of the best fantasy books I’ve picked up in years.
The worldbuilding is perfection.
It’s immersive, magical and haunting all at once.
The forests, the shadows, the atmosphere, it’s all so vivid, you feel like you’re walking right there in the middle of it.
It has that rare quality where you forget the real world exists while you’re reading.
The characters were everything
They’re complex, layered and unforgettable the kind that stick with you.
This book gave me chills made me feel things I wasnt ready for.
To Touch a Silent Fury has it all gorgeous writing, immersive worldbuilding and unforgettable characters.
This book is my new obsession and I can not wait for book 2.
🖤🤍
🖤Unforgettable
🤍 Unputdownable
🖤 Unmatched
This is the kind of story that sets a new standard for the genre five stars no hesitation. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I went in curious and came out obsessed.
The writing is stunning, it has this flow that completely sweeps you away.
It’s emotional without being heavy, it’s beautiful without being complicated, and it gave me butterflies the whole way through.
You don’t just read this book you feel it, like the words settle right under your skin.
It’s the kind of story that reminds you why you love reading because it pulls you in so deep, you never want to leave.
Honestly.... It’s easily one of the best fantasy books I’ve picked up in years.
The worldbuilding is perfection.
It’s immersive, magical and haunting all at once.
The forests, the shadows, the atmosphere, it’s all so vivid, you feel like you’re walking right there in the middle of it.
It has that rare quality where you forget the real world exists while you’re reading.
The characters were everything
They’re complex, layered and unforgettable the kind that stick with you.
This book gave me chills made me feel things I wasnt ready for.
To Touch a Silent Fury has it all gorgeous writing, immersive worldbuilding and unforgettable characters.
This book is my new obsession and I can not wait for book 2.
🖤🤍
August 2, 2025
You know what I hate about this book? The fact that, as I have read this as an ARC reader, I will have to wait EVEN LONGER for the second book.
When I first started reading this I found it a little confusing, but I think that is common with fantasy books as you have a lot of information dumped on you. Despite that small amount of confusion I read on and LOVED it.
I will say, if you are somebody who hates a slow burn, this is not your book. The romance is a very small part of the book as it explores the characters, the world and the challenges they face.
As I read this book all I could think about is how I would love to watch this in a film or TV series. As somebody with a film degree and an upcoming acting one, I couldn’t help but imagine me as Tanidwen 😂
I would also like to mention the yearning 😌🤚🏻 LORD ALL MIGHTY.
When I first started reading this I found it a little confusing, but I think that is common with fantasy books as you have a lot of information dumped on you. Despite that small amount of confusion I read on and LOVED it.
I will say, if you are somebody who hates a slow burn, this is not your book. The romance is a very small part of the book as it explores the characters, the world and the challenges they face.
As I read this book all I could think about is how I would love to watch this in a film or TV series. As somebody with a film degree and an upcoming acting one, I couldn’t help but imagine me as Tanidwen 😂
I would also like to mention the yearning 😌🤚🏻 LORD ALL MIGHTY.
September 4, 2025
Baby dragon??! Yes please!!
No spice but the tension and the banter were amazing. I can’t wait to see more from this world.
I liked how there were four parts. Wish you got to see more Lang’s POV.
- enemies to ?
- dragons / magic
- marriage of convenience
- hidden identity
- 1st person duel POV
No spice but the tension and the banter were amazing. I can’t wait to see more from this world.
I liked how there were four parts. Wish you got to see more Lang’s POV.
- enemies to ?
- dragons / magic
- marriage of convenience
- hidden identity
- 1st person duel POV
February 15, 2026
FINALLY! FINALLY!
I did not expect this to be THAT good!
We have a Forbidden love
DRAGONS and BABY DARGONS
political intrigue !
five senses magic system!
I am obsessed! Had such a good time. I also had such a good time with the dressing up for balls! such a vibe and loveee the tension it always brings.
So thankful i stumbled on the gem! Can't wait for the next book!
I did not expect this to be THAT good!
We have a Forbidden love
DRAGONS and BABY DARGONS
political intrigue !
five senses magic system!
I am obsessed! Had such a good time. I also had such a good time with the dressing up for balls! such a vibe and loveee the tension it always brings.
So thankful i stumbled on the gem! Can't wait for the next book!
August 31, 2025
This was so good bruh… it isnt even published yet and i want the sequel😭😭😭 highly recommend!!! i hope shadow has a feature in the next one… also the YEARNING ugh i love a man down bad
September 5, 2025
Got an advanced copy from the author!
Overall a good book, I found the beginning a little slow but the pace quickened up. I liked the plot and all the twists and turns. I did not predict any of them which I love. I loved the dragons and the world building although I wish the dragons showed up more in the first half. 4.5 stars!
Overall a good book, I found the beginning a little slow but the pace quickened up. I liked the plot and all the twists and turns. I did not predict any of them which I love. I loved the dragons and the world building although I wish the dragons showed up more in the first half. 4.5 stars!
February 5, 2026
Spectacular. Give me 14 more of them right now
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