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The Selvaren #1
The Silversmith
She was born to save this world. But falling in love will destroy it.
Still reeling from the mysterious deaths of her father and brother, Ary Gold survives only by sheer will in the icy wilds of the North. But when strangers arrive with stories of long-lost magic, Ary is thrust into a fate far larger than her sorrow.
The realm of Nyrida is under threat. An ancient shadow wielder has risen, determined to plunge the world into corrupted darkness. And Ary is the only one who can stop him.
They say she has royal blood. That magic runs in her veins. That she is already promised in marriage—to a powerful commander whose army is her only hope of winning the coming war.
But her fiercest challenge will not be on the battlefield…
Assigned to shape her into a warrior is a man cloaked in violence and secrets. Cold, arrogant, and maddeningly unreadable, he isn’t her betrothed—but he may be her undoing…
Ary is powerless to resist the impossible attraction building between them. Will she follow her destiny? Or risk everything for a love as wild and dangerous as the power that’s awakening inside her?
Shadows are closing in. Love is the greatest threat of all. And the fate of the world rests in the hands of a grieving girl who never asked to be chosen.
Still reeling from the mysterious deaths of her father and brother, Ary Gold survives only by sheer will in the icy wilds of the North. But when strangers arrive with stories of long-lost magic, Ary is thrust into a fate far larger than her sorrow.
The realm of Nyrida is under threat. An ancient shadow wielder has risen, determined to plunge the world into corrupted darkness. And Ary is the only one who can stop him.
They say she has royal blood. That magic runs in her veins. That she is already promised in marriage—to a powerful commander whose army is her only hope of winning the coming war.
But her fiercest challenge will not be on the battlefield…
Assigned to shape her into a warrior is a man cloaked in violence and secrets. Cold, arrogant, and maddeningly unreadable, he isn’t her betrothed—but he may be her undoing…
Ary is powerless to resist the impossible attraction building between them. Will she follow her destiny? Or risk everything for a love as wild and dangerous as the power that’s awakening inside her?
Shadows are closing in. Love is the greatest threat of all. And the fate of the world rests in the hands of a grieving girl who never asked to be chosen.
470 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 13, 2025
5015 people are currently reading
48580 people want to read
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August 2, 2025
4.5 rounded up. The vibes were impeccable!!! We’ve got a morally grey man who is somehow a golden retriever just for her. The yearning in this book had me kicking my feet (glances across the room, brushes of the arm).
There was one twist that’s kind of obvious on purpose, it adds to the delicious tension and yearning. However the ending had my jaw on the floor. I can’t wait for book 2!!
There was one twist that’s kind of obvious on purpose, it adds to the delicious tension and yearning. However the ending had my jaw on the floor. I can’t wait for book 2!!
July 16, 2025
Y’all what are we doing? Why does this book have a 4.5 on Goodreads? Are you guys punking me?
I see the writing on the wall—the infantilizing of the FMC was enough to do me in, but the atrocious writing really sealed the deal. When will I learn that I can’t trust arc reader’s opinions lol?
I’m counting it towards my reading goal even though it was a dnf because I deserve reparations.
I see the writing on the wall—the infantilizing of the FMC was enough to do me in, but the atrocious writing really sealed the deal. When will I learn that I can’t trust arc reader’s opinions lol?
I’m counting it towards my reading goal even though it was a dnf because I deserve reparations.
June 2, 2025
“𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙧𝙞𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙡 𝙄 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”
The Silversmith by LJ Claren
4.75⭐️ | 1.5🌶️ (technically, but feels like 3🌶️😮💨🥵)
-forbidden love
-guardian/teacher MMC
-touch her and 💀
-morally grey
-slow burn
-surprise royalty
-hidden powers
-prophecy
I fell in love with this book from the immediate vibes and the writing style. It was just so beautiful and captivating and romance-heavy.
I have so so so many highlights saved just from either poetic analogies to humorous banter or swoon-worthy moments.
“𝙃𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩, 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙠𝙞𝙨𝙨, 𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙚.”
Smyth is the morally grey, unhinged, obsessed older man I love in a MMC, who has a way with words, and would burn the world down for her with no regrets.
“𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙚, 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙚 𝙪𝙥 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙢𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙛𝙚. 𝙋𝙪𝙩 𝙢𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙣 𝙥𝙞𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙞𝙢𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛.”
And while Aryella has been isolated, manipulated and lied to, she’s a survivor and she learns fast, adjusting to whatever comes next and not letting her naivety hold her back.
“𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣, 𝙞𝙛 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨?”
The mystery around the plot had me hooked. I had theories on theories on theories and couldn’t stop reading until I got answers. I do still have a lot of questions that I hope get answered in the next book but I can’t wait!
“𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙤𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣’𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙮 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚, 𝙀𝙡𝙡𝙖, 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙣𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙖 𝙗𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙬𝙤.”
“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙞𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙜𝙨. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙄 𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙨 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙘 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙮 𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙨, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙨.”
Thank you @ljclaren for the advanced copy!
The Silversmith by LJ Claren
4.75⭐️ | 1.5🌶️ (technically, but feels like 3🌶️😮💨🥵)
-forbidden love
-guardian/teacher MMC
-touch her and 💀
-morally grey
-slow burn
-surprise royalty
-hidden powers
-prophecy
I fell in love with this book from the immediate vibes and the writing style. It was just so beautiful and captivating and romance-heavy.
I have so so so many highlights saved just from either poetic analogies to humorous banter or swoon-worthy moments.
“𝙃𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩, 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙠𝙞𝙨𝙨, 𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙚.”
Smyth is the morally grey, unhinged, obsessed older man I love in a MMC, who has a way with words, and would burn the world down for her with no regrets.
“𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙚, 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙚 𝙪𝙥 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙢𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙛𝙚. 𝙋𝙪𝙩 𝙢𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙣 𝙥𝙞𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙞𝙢𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛.”
And while Aryella has been isolated, manipulated and lied to, she’s a survivor and she learns fast, adjusting to whatever comes next and not letting her naivety hold her back.
“𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣, 𝙞𝙛 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨?”
The mystery around the plot had me hooked. I had theories on theories on theories and couldn’t stop reading until I got answers. I do still have a lot of questions that I hope get answered in the next book but I can’t wait!
“𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙤𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣’𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙮 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚, 𝙀𝙡𝙡𝙖, 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙣𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙖 𝙗𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙬𝙤.”
“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙞𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙜𝙨. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙄 𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙨 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙘 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙮 𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙨, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙨.”
Thank you @ljclaren for the advanced copy!
June 13, 2025
This romantacy novel was a fantastic debut! It is extremely well written, intense and emotional. It contains morally ambiguous characters and was outstanding at the world building! This book is adventurous, tense and very dark. It is both character and plot driven. I really felt for Ary, the female main character, who felt alone because of all the past trauma she endured. However, Ary grew in this story and became powerful. Smyth, the male main character, was very mysterious to me in the book. He was also very unhinged and morally grey. I really enjoyed the plot in this story. It has powers of gods, an epic journey and a slow burn romance. This book also comes with a forbidden love! I rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars!
I think that fans of a romance fantasy that have emotional depth, would really enjoy reading this book. Content warnings include emotional abuse, physical abuse, child abuse, violence, murder, sexual assault, an eating disorder and murder.
Thank you to the author LJ Claren for this electronic arc of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is expected to be published on July 13, 2025!
I think that fans of a romance fantasy that have emotional depth, would really enjoy reading this book. Content warnings include emotional abuse, physical abuse, child abuse, violence, murder, sexual assault, an eating disorder and murder.
Thank you to the author LJ Claren for this electronic arc of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is expected to be published on July 13, 2025!
August 3, 2025
Holy shit. Holy SHIT.
What a LOVE STORY. What a love story.
This is a book full of the most gut-wrenching agonized yearning I have read. My heart hurt the whole time..
To me, and for me, this is a PERFECT romantasy. I truly have no notes.
(I can’t even say WHY it is because I don’t want anyone to be spoiled by the treat that unravels before your eyes. But if you know me you know there’s one plot line that gets me every single time and god damn did this book deliver)
But I loveeeee a true slow burn. I love a man who pines. I love torturous agony & emotional pain.
I was absolutely captivated and mesmerized from the first page until the last.
The best slowest, most delicious, burn. The tension is incredible. I will be thinking about this book for a very long time. (If you care there’s only so very mild spice in this book but based on the words that come out of this man’s mouth the spice is going to hit HARD when it does)
The character arc we are about to watch our FMC go through in the next book I believe is going to rival my favorites like Aelin, Nesta & Auren.
The MMC is perfect. The things he says? I damn near broke my finger highlighting every single quote. They rival some of the most beautiful love confessions of any romantasy I’ve read. I was DOWN HORRENDOUS FOR THIS MOUNTAIN OF A MAN!
He’s very jealous: “Gawk any longer and you might become blinded by something far less pleasant than her beauty.”
Protective: “I will do what I have to do.”
“I know you will.” His fingers tightened around mine in my lap. “And I’m asking you—begging you—not to.”
The CEO of yearn city: “I glanced back, only to witness the subtle flex of his hand, as if he’d reached for me as I left him. His glazed eyes were empty as they glued to the seat I had occupied.”
HELLO????????
And sooo sweet: “There’s not a chance I’ll make it to heaven, but I pray the gods are gracious to send me to a place where I can see you. Just you.” He wound his fingers in my hair. “Because if I can’t spend eternity looking at you, I’d rather my soul cease to exist. You are,” he breathed, “the single most breathtaking thing in this world.”
The last 20% of this book blew my mind. There were some things the author obviously hints towards, but some plot twists I truly did not see. This was so refreshing in an over saturated genre. This was truly everything to me. One of my favorite romantasy reads of the year. And what a perfect foundation / set up for what’s to come. What a fucking debut book from this author I cannot even believe.
I will be eagerly waiting for the rest of the series. If it continues on this trajectory, it will be a contender for one of my favorites of all time. And I am not exaggerating.
What a LOVE STORY. What a love story.
This is a book full of the most gut-wrenching agonized yearning I have read. My heart hurt the whole time..
To me, and for me, this is a PERFECT romantasy. I truly have no notes.
(I can’t even say WHY it is because I don’t want anyone to be spoiled by the treat that unravels before your eyes. But if you know me you know there’s one plot line that gets me every single time and god damn did this book deliver)
But I loveeeee a true slow burn. I love a man who pines. I love torturous agony & emotional pain.
I was absolutely captivated and mesmerized from the first page until the last.
The best slowest, most delicious, burn. The tension is incredible. I will be thinking about this book for a very long time. (If you care there’s only so very mild spice in this book but based on the words that come out of this man’s mouth the spice is going to hit HARD when it does)
The character arc we are about to watch our FMC go through in the next book I believe is going to rival my favorites like Aelin, Nesta & Auren.
The MMC is perfect. The things he says? I damn near broke my finger highlighting every single quote. They rival some of the most beautiful love confessions of any romantasy I’ve read. I was DOWN HORRENDOUS FOR THIS MOUNTAIN OF A MAN!
He’s very jealous: “Gawk any longer and you might become blinded by something far less pleasant than her beauty.”
Protective: “I will do what I have to do.”
“I know you will.” His fingers tightened around mine in my lap. “And I’m asking you—begging you—not to.”
The CEO of yearn city: “I glanced back, only to witness the subtle flex of his hand, as if he’d reached for me as I left him. His glazed eyes were empty as they glued to the seat I had occupied.”
HELLO????????
And sooo sweet: “There’s not a chance I’ll make it to heaven, but I pray the gods are gracious to send me to a place where I can see you. Just you.” He wound his fingers in my hair. “Because if I can’t spend eternity looking at you, I’d rather my soul cease to exist. You are,” he breathed, “the single most breathtaking thing in this world.”
The last 20% of this book blew my mind. There were some things the author obviously hints towards, but some plot twists I truly did not see. This was so refreshing in an over saturated genre. This was truly everything to me. One of my favorite romantasy reads of the year. And what a perfect foundation / set up for what’s to come. What a fucking debut book from this author I cannot even believe.
I will be eagerly waiting for the rest of the series. If it continues on this trajectory, it will be a contender for one of my favorites of all time. And I am not exaggerating.
August 6, 2025
The Silversmith by L.J. Claren
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Five gleaming stars, no tarnish in sight)
Tagline: Secrets, steel, and a slow-burn that smelts your insides.
You ever read a book that feels like it was forged, not written? Like every word was carefully hammered into place, dipped in melancholy, polished with tension, and handed to you still warm?
Yeah. That’s The Silversmith.
Oh and on top of that? LJ is the Queen of Slowburns
I have been lucky enough to beta read this, and I loved every second of it back then.
🖤 Ary: The Quiet, Dangerous Flame
Ary is one of those heroines who doesn't yell for attention—she just exists with such quiet, purposeful intensity that you can’t look away. She’s layered with trauma and iron will, moving through a brutal world with her spine straight and her heart guarded like a vault.
She’s not soft, but she’s not cold, either. And watching those hidden depths slowly unfold? Chef’s kiss. A character study in restraint, power, and the ache of everything unspoken.
🛠️ Smyth: Brooding Man with Knife Skills and Feelings™
Smyth is the kind of morally gray, emotionally constipated love interest who walks into a scene and instantly steals all the air. You know he's bad for your heart, but that’s half the fun. He’s sharp, secretive, and entirely too capable — emotionally repressed in the most narratively delicious way.
And his dynamic with Ary? Tense. Complex. Charged like the moment before a storm. It's not instant sparks — it’s slow ignition. The kind of chemistry that builds under your skin until you're flipping pages faster than your dignity can keep up.
L.J. Claren doesn’t build a world — she etches one. Dark alleyways, quiet betrayals, silverwork as both art and violence. You can smell the metal, hear the clink of coins and the shift of coats concealing blades. It’s grim without being bleak. Beautiful without being precious. Gritty in a way that feels lived-in and intentional.
The silversmithing is woven so elegantly into the story that it becomes metaphor, weapon, identity. Every detail gleams.
This isn’t a story that screams — it simmers. It’s character-driven, secret-laced, and emotionally heavy in the best way. When something happens, it matters. There’s no filler. Every reveal, every exchange, every tightening thread is crafted with precision.
The side characters? Also incredible. Nobody exists just to decorate Ary and Smyth’s angst. Everyone has history, motives, shadows. It adds richness, weight — and yes, a few heartbreaks you didn’t ask for.
Ary is a revelation in quiet rage and hidden vulnerability.
Smyth deserves his own “emotionally damaged, morally ambiguous but stupidly hot” fan club.
The silversmithing theme is more than aesthetic — it’s the soul of the book.
Every side character could star in a spin-off, and I would read it immediately.
I would kill for more of this world. Politely. Maybe.
5 stars, easy.
This is for the reader who craves subtlety over spectacle, pain that simmers beneath the surface, and characters who feel like they were carved from bone and story. The Silversmith doesn’t shout. It whispers — and you’ll hang on every word.
Someone hand me the sequel. Or a dagger. Either works. Like right now, please. 😂
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Five gleaming stars, no tarnish in sight)
Tagline: Secrets, steel, and a slow-burn that smelts your insides.
You ever read a book that feels like it was forged, not written? Like every word was carefully hammered into place, dipped in melancholy, polished with tension, and handed to you still warm?
Yeah. That’s The Silversmith.
Oh and on top of that? LJ is the Queen of Slowburns
I have been lucky enough to beta read this, and I loved every second of it back then.
🖤 Ary: The Quiet, Dangerous Flame
Ary is one of those heroines who doesn't yell for attention—she just exists with such quiet, purposeful intensity that you can’t look away. She’s layered with trauma and iron will, moving through a brutal world with her spine straight and her heart guarded like a vault.
She’s not soft, but she’s not cold, either. And watching those hidden depths slowly unfold? Chef’s kiss. A character study in restraint, power, and the ache of everything unspoken.
🛠️ Smyth: Brooding Man with Knife Skills and Feelings™
Smyth is the kind of morally gray, emotionally constipated love interest who walks into a scene and instantly steals all the air. You know he's bad for your heart, but that’s half the fun. He’s sharp, secretive, and entirely too capable — emotionally repressed in the most narratively delicious way.
And his dynamic with Ary? Tense. Complex. Charged like the moment before a storm. It's not instant sparks — it’s slow ignition. The kind of chemistry that builds under your skin until you're flipping pages faster than your dignity can keep up.
L.J. Claren doesn’t build a world — she etches one. Dark alleyways, quiet betrayals, silverwork as both art and violence. You can smell the metal, hear the clink of coins and the shift of coats concealing blades. It’s grim without being bleak. Beautiful without being precious. Gritty in a way that feels lived-in and intentional.
The silversmithing is woven so elegantly into the story that it becomes metaphor, weapon, identity. Every detail gleams.
This isn’t a story that screams — it simmers. It’s character-driven, secret-laced, and emotionally heavy in the best way. When something happens, it matters. There’s no filler. Every reveal, every exchange, every tightening thread is crafted with precision.
The side characters? Also incredible. Nobody exists just to decorate Ary and Smyth’s angst. Everyone has history, motives, shadows. It adds richness, weight — and yes, a few heartbreaks you didn’t ask for.
Ary is a revelation in quiet rage and hidden vulnerability.
Smyth deserves his own “emotionally damaged, morally ambiguous but stupidly hot” fan club.
The silversmithing theme is more than aesthetic — it’s the soul of the book.
Every side character could star in a spin-off, and I would read it immediately.
I would kill for more of this world. Politely. Maybe.
5 stars, easy.
This is for the reader who craves subtlety over spectacle, pain that simmers beneath the surface, and characters who feel like they were carved from bone and story. The Silversmith doesn’t shout. It whispers — and you’ll hang on every word.
Someone hand me the sequel. Or a dagger. Either works. Like right now, please. 😂
October 10, 2025
ARC Review – The Silversmith by L.J. Claren
⭐️ 1.5 stars
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This review contains full spoilers. If you enjoyed this book, I recommend not reading further. These are my personal thoughts, and while this book didn’t work for me, it may still resonate with others. I received this ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
⸻
This book had potential. Ancient bloodlines, secret magic, betrayal, romance. Instead, I got every cliché you can think of, a heroine with no agency, a walking red flag of a love interest, and a villain whose entire motivation is being stuck in a 400-year-old rejection spiral.
Let’s talk characters:
• Ary (Aryella, Ella, etc.): Supposedly the powerful heir of an ancient queen. Wakes from a 400-year sleep with no memory, lives for two years with a fake family, and gets abandoned by her mom at 18. Her powers show up once to save a guy who still loses a leg, then never return. She dies, has a weird limbo chat with her dead brother who confesses he did remember when she was dropped off, then wakes up alive with her heart magically back in her chest. She sends Smyth away, he leaves, and she gets mad that he actually listened.
• Smyth: The broody, scarred, emotionally constipated husband Ary doesn’t remember. He’s also the son of the villain. He treats Ary like property, constantly throws coins at her, tells her what to wear, refuses to give her any answers, and physically overpowers her during “training.” His big romantic gesture? A birthday gift made from the skinned pelt of the wolf that nearly killed her. He calls it his mark. She wears it. This is marketed as love.
• Molochai: The villain. Once besties with Ary’s uncle. Got rejected by Ary’s mom 400 years ago and has been plotting her family’s destruction ever since. He kills the queen slowly and painfully and spends the rest of eternity trying to kill Ary out of bitter, petty spite. Literally rips her heart out in the final fight. Still somehow not the most emotionally unstable man in the book.
• Simeon: Ary’s uncle. He didn’t raise her. When her powers started to develop, he locked her up, erased her memory, and planned to use her as a magical weapon against Molochai. Built an army in a cave while waiting to unleash her. So basically, the “good guy” is a power-hungry warlord.
• Gemma: She exists. She leaves. She comes back. She walks with Ary. She does nothing important.
• Ezra, Caz, and Finn: The escort team. Ezra and Finn barely speak. Caz gets mortally wounded, Ary’s powers finally kick in, and he still loses a leg. That’s the extent of their narrative weight.
• Elias: The betrothed. Gets a POV at the end just to complain that Ary isn’t where she’s supposed to be. Useless.
⸻
Let’s talk about Ary.
She is the “chosen one,” but at no point does she act like it. She follows everyone blindly. She doesn’t question the people keeping secrets from her. She trusts Smyth immediately, even though he never once explains anything or acts like someone who should be trusted. Her one and only magical moment comes when Caz is dying — she uses her powers to keep him alive, but he still loses his leg. Later, she gets attacked by Molochai and her powers do nothing. He reaches into her chest and rips her heart out. She dies. Then has a full chat with her dead brother in limbo, who tells her he remembered she came from magic sleep all along. Then she just wakes up. Alive. Heart back in place. No explanation.
Ary sends Smyth away after learning the truth — that he’s Molochai’s son, that her memory was wiped to forget him, that he’s been working with the enemy. She tells him to go. So he leaves. Then she gets angry that he actually left. That is Ary in a nutshell.
⸻
The romance is an emotional dumpster fire.
Smyth is controlling, secretive, jealous, and obsessed. He constantly tells Ary how much she means to him while never sharing anything meaningful with her. He uses phrases like “touch my girl” and “my queen” but avoids accountability like it’s his job. At one point, he physically pins her down while yelling at her to “fight” — this happens right after a scene where she’s nearly assaulted. When she tells him he crossed a line, he just says, “I know.” Nothing changes.
The romance is all about control. Ary is confused and vulnerable. Smyth is aggressive and intense. They kiss a couple times. She gets flustered. It’s uncomfortable. And yet the story positions them as soulmates.
⸻
The villain?
Molochai’s entire reason for existing is that Ary’s mom didn’t love him back. His solution? Kill the queen. Kill the daughter. Kill anyone who stands in his way. His evil plan is fueled by centuries of rejection. And in the final fight, he literally rips Ary’s heart out like a Mortal Kombat finisher. Still somehow less unhinged than Smyth.
⸻
The twist?
Smyth is Molochai’s son. Simeon was using Ary as a weapon. No one tells her the truth until the end. And when she finds out, her reaction is more about Smyth leaving than being lied to for her entire life. That sums it all up.
⸻
The prophecy?
“One day the young queen born of ancient blood will abandon a life of solitude.” That’s it. That’s the whole prophecy. The entire book hinges on that vague sentence.
⸻
The writing?
The prose tries to be poetic, but often feels like Pinterest quote filler. Example:
“Nightmares hunt you in the quiet and devour your peace.”
Pretty. Also, totally disconnected from when the nightmares actually happen. It feels like the author had some aesthetic lines and built scenes around them just to make them fit.
⸻
The ending?
Ary dies. Has a conversation with her brother in limbo. Learns that people around her were lying the entire time. Wakes up with her heart magically restored. Powers still missing. Smyth is gone. Elias is pouting. The villain? Unresolved. The prophecy? Still vague. The book ends with nothing wrapped up and a hard nudge toward a sequel.
⸻
I kept hoping something would land. That Ary would take control. That the romance would grow into something respectful. That the prophecy would mean something. That the villain would have a motive beyond rejection rage. But no. Instead I got birthday pelt shawls, emotional manipulation, cave armies, heartless girlboss limbo scenes, and a heroine who deserved better than this.
I will not be reading book two.
⭐️ 1.5 stars
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This review contains full spoilers. If you enjoyed this book, I recommend not reading further. These are my personal thoughts, and while this book didn’t work for me, it may still resonate with others. I received this ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
⸻
This book had potential. Ancient bloodlines, secret magic, betrayal, romance. Instead, I got every cliché you can think of, a heroine with no agency, a walking red flag of a love interest, and a villain whose entire motivation is being stuck in a 400-year-old rejection spiral.
Let’s talk characters:
• Ary (Aryella, Ella, etc.): Supposedly the powerful heir of an ancient queen. Wakes from a 400-year sleep with no memory, lives for two years with a fake family, and gets abandoned by her mom at 18. Her powers show up once to save a guy who still loses a leg, then never return. She dies, has a weird limbo chat with her dead brother who confesses he did remember when she was dropped off, then wakes up alive with her heart magically back in her chest. She sends Smyth away, he leaves, and she gets mad that he actually listened.
• Smyth: The broody, scarred, emotionally constipated husband Ary doesn’t remember. He’s also the son of the villain. He treats Ary like property, constantly throws coins at her, tells her what to wear, refuses to give her any answers, and physically overpowers her during “training.” His big romantic gesture? A birthday gift made from the skinned pelt of the wolf that nearly killed her. He calls it his mark. She wears it. This is marketed as love.
• Molochai: The villain. Once besties with Ary’s uncle. Got rejected by Ary’s mom 400 years ago and has been plotting her family’s destruction ever since. He kills the queen slowly and painfully and spends the rest of eternity trying to kill Ary out of bitter, petty spite. Literally rips her heart out in the final fight. Still somehow not the most emotionally unstable man in the book.
• Simeon: Ary’s uncle. He didn’t raise her. When her powers started to develop, he locked her up, erased her memory, and planned to use her as a magical weapon against Molochai. Built an army in a cave while waiting to unleash her. So basically, the “good guy” is a power-hungry warlord.
• Gemma: She exists. She leaves. She comes back. She walks with Ary. She does nothing important.
• Ezra, Caz, and Finn: The escort team. Ezra and Finn barely speak. Caz gets mortally wounded, Ary’s powers finally kick in, and he still loses a leg. That’s the extent of their narrative weight.
• Elias: The betrothed. Gets a POV at the end just to complain that Ary isn’t where she’s supposed to be. Useless.
⸻
Let’s talk about Ary.
She is the “chosen one,” but at no point does she act like it. She follows everyone blindly. She doesn’t question the people keeping secrets from her. She trusts Smyth immediately, even though he never once explains anything or acts like someone who should be trusted. Her one and only magical moment comes when Caz is dying — she uses her powers to keep him alive, but he still loses his leg. Later, she gets attacked by Molochai and her powers do nothing. He reaches into her chest and rips her heart out. She dies. Then has a full chat with her dead brother in limbo, who tells her he remembered she came from magic sleep all along. Then she just wakes up. Alive. Heart back in place. No explanation.
Ary sends Smyth away after learning the truth — that he’s Molochai’s son, that her memory was wiped to forget him, that he’s been working with the enemy. She tells him to go. So he leaves. Then she gets angry that he actually left. That is Ary in a nutshell.
⸻
The romance is an emotional dumpster fire.
Smyth is controlling, secretive, jealous, and obsessed. He constantly tells Ary how much she means to him while never sharing anything meaningful with her. He uses phrases like “touch my girl” and “my queen” but avoids accountability like it’s his job. At one point, he physically pins her down while yelling at her to “fight” — this happens right after a scene where she’s nearly assaulted. When she tells him he crossed a line, he just says, “I know.” Nothing changes.
The romance is all about control. Ary is confused and vulnerable. Smyth is aggressive and intense. They kiss a couple times. She gets flustered. It’s uncomfortable. And yet the story positions them as soulmates.
⸻
The villain?
Molochai’s entire reason for existing is that Ary’s mom didn’t love him back. His solution? Kill the queen. Kill the daughter. Kill anyone who stands in his way. His evil plan is fueled by centuries of rejection. And in the final fight, he literally rips Ary’s heart out like a Mortal Kombat finisher. Still somehow less unhinged than Smyth.
⸻
The twist?
Smyth is Molochai’s son. Simeon was using Ary as a weapon. No one tells her the truth until the end. And when she finds out, her reaction is more about Smyth leaving than being lied to for her entire life. That sums it all up.
⸻
The prophecy?
“One day the young queen born of ancient blood will abandon a life of solitude.” That’s it. That’s the whole prophecy. The entire book hinges on that vague sentence.
⸻
The writing?
The prose tries to be poetic, but often feels like Pinterest quote filler. Example:
“Nightmares hunt you in the quiet and devour your peace.”
Pretty. Also, totally disconnected from when the nightmares actually happen. It feels like the author had some aesthetic lines and built scenes around them just to make them fit.
⸻
The ending?
Ary dies. Has a conversation with her brother in limbo. Learns that people around her were lying the entire time. Wakes up with her heart magically restored. Powers still missing. Smyth is gone. Elias is pouting. The villain? Unresolved. The prophecy? Still vague. The book ends with nothing wrapped up and a hard nudge toward a sequel.
⸻
I kept hoping something would land. That Ary would take control. That the romance would grow into something respectful. That the prophecy would mean something. That the villain would have a motive beyond rejection rage. But no. Instead I got birthday pelt shawls, emotional manipulation, cave armies, heartless girlboss limbo scenes, and a heroine who deserved better than this.
I will not be reading book two.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2025
The Silversmith 💙🗡️ARC review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️♾️
One of my all time favorite books, and by a debut author!? I’m completely blown away by that fact and it’s 100% deserved. This book was remarkable in so many ways. The world building was my favorite, the way LJ was able to build something unique and dangerous while making me feel apart of the story was incredible. The yearning between Ary and Gavin was beautifully done, every page I read I could feel the connection and just wanted more. The growth for Ary in just this 1st book was amazing to see too, I can’t wait to see where she goes in the books to come. I really liked the pacing of the book, especially knowing there’s more books and story lines to continue and even start, this 1st book was an amazing start to this world.
I can’t believe I have to wait for the next one.. my heart will not heal until I get more closure BUT knowing these characters I believe everything will be okay in the end 💙
Side note: If Gavin isn’t your top book boyfriend by the end of this read, I fear our tastes would not align and you’re wrong!
The Silversmith was a beautiful debut for LJ Claren and I can’t wait to continue to support and read her work! Please read and share this book, out July 13th!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️♾️
One of my all time favorite books, and by a debut author!? I’m completely blown away by that fact and it’s 100% deserved. This book was remarkable in so many ways. The world building was my favorite, the way LJ was able to build something unique and dangerous while making me feel apart of the story was incredible. The yearning between Ary and Gavin was beautifully done, every page I read I could feel the connection and just wanted more. The growth for Ary in just this 1st book was amazing to see too, I can’t wait to see where she goes in the books to come. I really liked the pacing of the book, especially knowing there’s more books and story lines to continue and even start, this 1st book was an amazing start to this world.
I can’t believe I have to wait for the next one.. my heart will not heal until I get more closure BUT knowing these characters I believe everything will be okay in the end 💙
Side note: If Gavin isn’t your top book boyfriend by the end of this read, I fear our tastes would not align and you’re wrong!
The Silversmith was a beautiful debut for LJ Claren and I can’t wait to continue to support and read her work! Please read and share this book, out July 13th!
August 8, 2025
4.5 stars🔥- I AM IN PAIN. This man’s yearning HURT!!!! And wtf was that ending!!! WHAT THE HELL?!!! When is book 2 coming out 😭😭😭
RTC but this MMC… he is the standard
RTC but this MMC… he is the standard
June 24, 2025
I haven’t highlighted so many amazing passages in a book ever! The yearning is next level for Ary and her brooding bodyguard on their journey to find her hidden powers and get to her betrothed. The emotional tension between Ary and Smyth was next level. And that ending…Wow! I can’t wait to find out what happens in book 2.
August 14, 2025
I am absolutely FLOORED. 5⭐️
If you’re anything like me and crave more yearning in romantasy books - then I beg you to READ THIS ONE. This romantasy definitely falls in the romance forward category, so if you love a romance with the torturous anticipation of a slow burn, the heart-wrenching ache of longing, and the utter devotion of a man who would go to the ends of the earth for her (and beyond) - THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU.
Like I said, the plot of this book is very romance-driven, with an underlying fantasy plot line we’ve only scratched the surface of by the end of book 1. A secret heir, a prophecy, and stolen power from the gods? Yeah, I was immediately hooked and finished this book in a day and a half. The world building & magic were accessible & easy to follow, and we also see the beginnings of a found family full of lovable side characters that I hope we see more of in book 2.
That being said, what I loved most about this book was the love story at the very heart of it. The romance between Smyth and Ella was brimming with tension and a longing that only deepened as the story progressed. The yearning in this book was so POTENT and our MMC Smyth was wholly responsible for it. I especially loved how multi-faceted his character was - attentive and caring towards her, with a grumpy, assertive disposition towards everyone else, and the very definition of a tortured soul. And if you love a morally grey, possessive MMC, then I guarantee you’ll love Smyth as much as I did.
Now the last 20% was what really gave me the 5⭐️ feeling for this book, when we finally see all the blanks filled in. THE REVEALS. THE EMOTIONAL DAMAGE. Even having guessed one of the reveals (which was foreshadowed so I wouldn’t call it predictable), this ending had me sitting up straight in bed, speechless, feeling a literal ache in my chest for these characters. I am going to be thinking about that ending for DAYS🧎🏻♀️🧎🏻♀️🧎🏻♀️
So yes, if you love a romantasy book that will HURT SO GOOD, go read this!!! Book 2 IM READY FOR YOU, please put my heart back together😭❤️🩹
If you’re anything like me and crave more yearning in romantasy books - then I beg you to READ THIS ONE. This romantasy definitely falls in the romance forward category, so if you love a romance with the torturous anticipation of a slow burn, the heart-wrenching ache of longing, and the utter devotion of a man who would go to the ends of the earth for her (and beyond) - THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU.
Like I said, the plot of this book is very romance-driven, with an underlying fantasy plot line we’ve only scratched the surface of by the end of book 1. A secret heir, a prophecy, and stolen power from the gods? Yeah, I was immediately hooked and finished this book in a day and a half. The world building & magic were accessible & easy to follow, and we also see the beginnings of a found family full of lovable side characters that I hope we see more of in book 2.
That being said, what I loved most about this book was the love story at the very heart of it. The romance between Smyth and Ella was brimming with tension and a longing that only deepened as the story progressed. The yearning in this book was so POTENT and our MMC Smyth was wholly responsible for it. I especially loved how multi-faceted his character was - attentive and caring towards her, with a grumpy, assertive disposition towards everyone else, and the very definition of a tortured soul. And if you love a morally grey, possessive MMC, then I guarantee you’ll love Smyth as much as I did.
Now the last 20% was what really gave me the 5⭐️ feeling for this book, when we finally see all the blanks filled in. THE REVEALS. THE EMOTIONAL DAMAGE. Even having guessed one of the reveals (which was foreshadowed so I wouldn’t call it predictable), this ending had me sitting up straight in bed, speechless, feeling a literal ache in my chest for these characters. I am going to be thinking about that ending for DAYS🧎🏻♀️🧎🏻♀️🧎🏻♀️
So yes, if you love a romantasy book that will HURT SO GOOD, go read this!!! Book 2 IM READY FOR YOU, please put my heart back together😭❤️🩹
May 28, 2025
This book will be in my head rent free for awhile. 😭 This is LJ Claren’s debut novel and it is spectacular. The descriptive and poetic writing, as well as the hints to secrets, and suspicious circumstances drew me in immediately.
I love Ary, our FMC, she’s young and naive but at the same time she is wise beyond her years and desires to be stronger and wiser, she doesn’t want to be the damsel in distress. She wants to have the ability and knowledge to make her own choices, and I love that about her! I think she’s going to be such a badass!
Smyth…my man… I don’t even want to say anything else. Just trust me on this one. The longing, the tension….the ROMANCE….it’s STEAMY. Whew. Ask the group chat how much I melted and screamed. It’s goooood. The word “Run” had no right to be so hot.
The plot is amazing, it has some tropes we all love but let me tell you….this is fresh and there are TWISTS. Amazing twists. And so many breadcrumbs throughout that had me highlighting and coming up with theories, trying to figure it out!!! The world building is lush, but not overwhelming!
The ending…I don’t wanna talk about it. It hurts too much. I love a good heart shattering, gut wrenching ending….LJ definitely delivered on that. So I’ll take the next book annyyytime now, please and thank you! 😅
Thank you, LJ Claren for the ARC!
I love Ary, our FMC, she’s young and naive but at the same time she is wise beyond her years and desires to be stronger and wiser, she doesn’t want to be the damsel in distress. She wants to have the ability and knowledge to make her own choices, and I love that about her! I think she’s going to be such a badass!
Smyth…my man… I don’t even want to say anything else. Just trust me on this one. The longing, the tension….the ROMANCE….it’s STEAMY. Whew. Ask the group chat how much I melted and screamed. It’s goooood. The word “Run” had no right to be so hot.
The plot is amazing, it has some tropes we all love but let me tell you….this is fresh and there are TWISTS. Amazing twists. And so many breadcrumbs throughout that had me highlighting and coming up with theories, trying to figure it out!!! The world building is lush, but not overwhelming!
The ending…I don’t wanna talk about it. It hurts too much. I love a good heart shattering, gut wrenching ending….LJ definitely delivered on that. So I’ll take the next book annyyytime now, please and thank you! 😅
Thank you, LJ Claren for the ARC!
June 5, 2025
I cried, I squealed, curled my toes, and shouted "F*¢K YES!" Everyone should be prepared to fall in love with this. There were plot twists right from the very beginning. Two chapters in and I decided to pause everything else I was reading to read this as fast as I could.
There was romance that stretched over lifetimes, lies, deception, arranged marriage, spells, curses, YEARNING (oh gods the yearning) and so much more.
This book had so many different twists & turns it demanded your undivided attention.
I have been looking for a book that would make me cry. THIS DID IT FOR ME. I sobbed, I felt my heart break, I felt the hopelessness ..... I felt every emotion all the characters felt.
LJ Claren did a remarkable job telling this story. I loved her writing style, I adored the execution of the plot, & I am thoroughly obsessed with The Silversmith.
Thank you so much LJ for choosing me to be an ARC reader for this spectacular book. I hope to be chosen again for the future books in this series.
Okay, now I'm going to go cry for Ary again - Bye!
There was romance that stretched over lifetimes, lies, deception, arranged marriage, spells, curses, YEARNING (oh gods the yearning) and so much more.
This book had so many different twists & turns it demanded your undivided attention.
I have been looking for a book that would make me cry. THIS DID IT FOR ME. I sobbed, I felt my heart break, I felt the hopelessness ..... I felt every emotion all the characters felt.
LJ Claren did a remarkable job telling this story. I loved her writing style, I adored the execution of the plot, & I am thoroughly obsessed with The Silversmith.
Thank you so much LJ for choosing me to be an ARC reader for this spectacular book. I hope to be chosen again for the future books in this series.
Okay, now I'm going to go cry for Ary again - Bye!
December 12, 2025
Sometimes fomo is truly a mofo. All the SM hype over this book and all I wanted to do was yeet shit & scratch innocent passersby.
The MC’s were unendurable. FMC, Ary, was essentially a 19 yr old baby; Bambi in doe form. Requiring incessant supervision & guidance with the utmost care, lest she break in half. Or walk around without her security gorilla & get lost in some trees or grass or whatever....
So innocent, coveted and salient she was. The way she’s fawned over & sought after by everyone in this book, regardless of intent, is absolutely risible.
And Gavin was just an oaf. A giant buffoon. Like calm tf down mister man. Hit a pipe, a bag...hell idk, just anything, or you’re gonna pop something.
Favorite part of a sentence ever: "..... when I saw his hard member spring free from his pants.” 😃
Oy sorry. Looks like I’m over here squattin on Outlier Lane again🤷🏻♀️🥴 Just not my cuppa & most assuredly not my characters.
It’s me. I’m the problem.
K bye.
The MC’s were unendurable. FMC, Ary, was essentially a 19 yr old baby; Bambi in doe form. Requiring incessant supervision & guidance with the utmost care, lest she break in half. Or walk around without her security gorilla & get lost in some trees or grass or whatever....
So innocent, coveted and salient she was. The way she’s fawned over & sought after by everyone in this book, regardless of intent, is absolutely risible.
And Gavin was just an oaf. A giant buffoon. Like calm tf down mister man. Hit a pipe, a bag...hell idk, just anything, or you’re gonna pop something.
Favorite part of a sentence ever: "..... when I saw his hard member spring free from his pants.” 😃
Oy sorry. Looks like I’m over here squattin on Outlier Lane again🤷🏻♀️🥴 Just not my cuppa & most assuredly not my characters.
It’s me. I’m the problem.
K bye.
August 18, 2025
This was a slooooooooooow burn 🔥
The tension and yearning had me pulling at my hair and kicking my feet.
The self-control of this man is out of this world.
The words that came out of his mouth had me melting.
A part of me is angry that no one informed her. She had a right to know!
It had all the little tropes woven in that I absolutely love.
I am here for the future spice that will be in this series because this man... I know he is a pleaser 🙃
Book one definitely set the stage for this to be a fantastic series, and I can't wait!
The tension and yearning had me pulling at my hair and kicking my feet.
The self-control of this man is out of this world.
The words that came out of his mouth had me melting.
A part of me is angry that no one informed her. She had a right to know!
It had all the little tropes woven in that I absolutely love.
I am here for the future spice that will be in this series because this man... I know he is a pleaser 🙃
Book one definitely set the stage for this to be a fantastic series, and I can't wait!
July 6, 2025
5 ⭐️ 1.5🌶️, feels like 3🌶️!
🩵 Forbidden love // Age gap
🩶 Lost memories // surprise royalty
🩵 World building // Power of 12 Gods
🩶 Slow burn // Touch her & ☠️ immediately
🩵 Hidden powers // Prophesy
🩶 Hurt X comfort
🩵 Found Family
🩶 Tension X yearning
“You are invaluable not because of your birth or your power or your blood,” he continued. “You are invaluable because you’re you. And you, just you, are more than enough to fight for.”
This made it to one of my top reads of the year! I was a little iffy in the beginning, but once that plot hooked me, I was done for.
Aryella starts out as a starving, abandoned, shell of a human. Her memories are missing. The ones she does have are mostly traumatic and confusing.
That all changes the moment her future guardian & teacher finds her fighting for her life with a wolf in a chicken coop. So romantic! But he seems to know A LOT about her.
Oh yeah, and she’s expected to journey away from home for the first time, marry a prince and become queen of their kingdom, come into powers she didn’t know she had and fight off the ultimate bad guy. You know, normal stuff.
I loved watching Ary find herself, grow, fall for said guardian and teacher. And how could she not? Gavin Smyth is the ultimate morally grey, soft only for her, rugged warrior who takes care of her every need. But, why does it seem like he knows EVERYTHING about her? And is he really as good as she thinks he is? Hmmm. I will say no more. You must read😛
“Any man worthy of touching you,” he growled, and my knees nearly gave out, “should make your toes curl. He should make you succumb to a need so voracious that you combust from the inside out. You should feel a euphoria powerful enough to make you forget where, what, and who the hell you are. You should scream as you come apart beneath hands that have no purpose but to pleasure and protect you.”
Technically this was like 1.5🌶️.. however, the excellent writing, yearning, and downright aching between Ary & Smyth felt like 3🌶️ and I was yelling at them through the pages.
Holy plot twist after freaking plot twist. The truth of what really happened to Ary had me reeling by the end. I cried when it was over and cannot wait for book 2!
“There’s not a chance I’ll make it to heaven, but I pray the gods are gracious to send me to a place where I can see you. Just you.” He wound his fingers in my hair. “Because if I can’t spend eternity looking at you, I’d rather my soul cease to exist.”
Thank you so much to the author for providing me with an ARC! All opinions are my own and freely given.
🩵 Forbidden love // Age gap
🩶 Lost memories // surprise royalty
🩵 World building // Power of 12 Gods
🩶 Slow burn // Touch her & ☠️ immediately
🩵 Hidden powers // Prophesy
🩶 Hurt X comfort
🩵 Found Family
🩶 Tension X yearning
“You are invaluable not because of your birth or your power or your blood,” he continued. “You are invaluable because you’re you. And you, just you, are more than enough to fight for.”
This made it to one of my top reads of the year! I was a little iffy in the beginning, but once that plot hooked me, I was done for.
Aryella starts out as a starving, abandoned, shell of a human. Her memories are missing. The ones she does have are mostly traumatic and confusing.
That all changes the moment her future guardian & teacher finds her fighting for her life with a wolf in a chicken coop. So romantic! But he seems to know A LOT about her.
Oh yeah, and she’s expected to journey away from home for the first time, marry a prince and become queen of their kingdom, come into powers she didn’t know she had and fight off the ultimate bad guy. You know, normal stuff.
I loved watching Ary find herself, grow, fall for said guardian and teacher. And how could she not? Gavin Smyth is the ultimate morally grey, soft only for her, rugged warrior who takes care of her every need. But, why does it seem like he knows EVERYTHING about her? And is he really as good as she thinks he is? Hmmm. I will say no more. You must read😛
“Any man worthy of touching you,” he growled, and my knees nearly gave out, “should make your toes curl. He should make you succumb to a need so voracious that you combust from the inside out. You should feel a euphoria powerful enough to make you forget where, what, and who the hell you are. You should scream as you come apart beneath hands that have no purpose but to pleasure and protect you.”
Technically this was like 1.5🌶️.. however, the excellent writing, yearning, and downright aching between Ary & Smyth felt like 3🌶️ and I was yelling at them through the pages.
Holy plot twist after freaking plot twist. The truth of what really happened to Ary had me reeling by the end. I cried when it was over and cannot wait for book 2!
“There’s not a chance I’ll make it to heaven, but I pray the gods are gracious to send me to a place where I can see you. Just you.” He wound his fingers in my hair. “Because if I can’t spend eternity looking at you, I’d rather my soul cease to exist.”
Thank you so much to the author for providing me with an ARC! All opinions are my own and freely given.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2025
Thank you to the publisher and author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This book had some really intriguing elements—an immortal love story, cursed magic, and secret identities—but it read more like a prequel than a fully developed Book One.
The biggest struggle for me was the pacing. Most of the story followed Ary and Smyth on a slow, travel-heavy journey with very little real conflict. We got hints of villains and danger, but they were always at a distance, while the bulk of the tension came from miscommunication and longing glances. Smyth’s refusal to explain anything—especially when it was so obvious who Ary really was—started to wear thin.
That said, I did enjoy the twisty backstory. Ary is Smyth’s wife (called it!), but the full reveal adds some layered mythology: they’re both over 400 years old, and she’s actually the queen’s long-lost daughter presumed dead. I suspected the “ancient love” angle early on, but I appreciated the effort to weave in emotional stakes. I actually thought she might be the queen, so at least it kept me guessing.
The writing was easy to read, and the brief appearance of Molochai added a jolt of energy I wish we’d gotten more of. Ary’s sudden “death” and miraculous healing felt a little too convenient, but the final chapter (from Elias’s POV) sets up some compelling threads for book two—Simeon’s missing, and no one knows Smyth’s secret yet.
Overall, there’s real potential in this world, and I’m curious to see where it goes. Here’s hoping the sequel amps up the stakes, deepens the conflict, and lets the plot finally hit its stride.
This book had some really intriguing elements—an immortal love story, cursed magic, and secret identities—but it read more like a prequel than a fully developed Book One.
The biggest struggle for me was the pacing. Most of the story followed Ary and Smyth on a slow, travel-heavy journey with very little real conflict. We got hints of villains and danger, but they were always at a distance, while the bulk of the tension came from miscommunication and longing glances. Smyth’s refusal to explain anything—especially when it was so obvious who Ary really was—started to wear thin.
That said, I did enjoy the twisty backstory. Ary is Smyth’s wife (called it!), but the full reveal adds some layered mythology: they’re both over 400 years old, and she’s actually the queen’s long-lost daughter presumed dead. I suspected the “ancient love” angle early on, but I appreciated the effort to weave in emotional stakes. I actually thought she might be the queen, so at least it kept me guessing.
The writing was easy to read, and the brief appearance of Molochai added a jolt of energy I wish we’d gotten more of. Ary’s sudden “death” and miraculous healing felt a little too convenient, but the final chapter (from Elias’s POV) sets up some compelling threads for book two—Simeon’s missing, and no one knows Smyth’s secret yet.
Overall, there’s real potential in this world, and I’m curious to see where it goes. Here’s hoping the sequel amps up the stakes, deepens the conflict, and lets the plot finally hit its stride.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2025
Thank you LJ Claren for allowing me to read The Silversmith early 🩵 my first experience with an ARC could not have been more satisfying! This was my first 5 star read since Kingdom of Ash, and the first book that truly pulled me from my reading slump, and SLAMMED me back into my next one 💀
This book gaslighted me into gaslighting myself, sent me chasing my own tail over and over, and is a MASTERCLASS in a burn so slow that I was nearly smashing my kindle against my head… and still had me coming back for more 😭
The world, the characters, the twists and turns - all delicious. These are characters that have stayed with me past the final page - I am invested in their stories, and their development? *chefs kiss*
When I say I’m desperate for the second instalment, I’m saying it with my whole chest. It’s been such a joy to read this book and I’m so looking forward to reading it-entering this world in the future 🩵
This book gaslighted me into gaslighting myself, sent me chasing my own tail over and over, and is a MASTERCLASS in a burn so slow that I was nearly smashing my kindle against my head… and still had me coming back for more 😭
The world, the characters, the twists and turns - all delicious. These are characters that have stayed with me past the final page - I am invested in their stories, and their development? *chefs kiss*
When I say I’m desperate for the second instalment, I’m saying it with my whole chest. It’s been such a joy to read this book and I’m so looking forward to reading it-entering this world in the future 🩵
June 25, 2025
HELLO THIS BOOK WAS SO INCREDIBLEEEEE AHHHHH
a morally grey MMC who is a guardian AND trains her??? a secret heir??? mysterious gods??? found family!! slow burn!!! an AGE GAP?? AND THE YEARRRINNNGG????
I literally have not stoped thinking about this book since I finished it. Smyth is so hot and I fear he’ll ruin me in the next book.
This is romantasy at its finest and I cannot wait for the rest of the world to read this one. An incredible indie debut and I am so excited for what’s to come!!
Thank you so much to the author for the earc!
a morally grey MMC who is a guardian AND trains her??? a secret heir??? mysterious gods??? found family!! slow burn!!! an AGE GAP?? AND THE YEARRRINNNGG????
I literally have not stoped thinking about this book since I finished it. Smyth is so hot and I fear he’ll ruin me in the next book.
This is romantasy at its finest and I cannot wait for the rest of the world to read this one. An incredible indie debut and I am so excited for what’s to come!!
Thank you so much to the author for the earc!
July 19, 2025
He was home. A home I could not keep.
I NEED EVERYONE TO READ THIS BOOK!!! It ruined and revived me all at once.
I was so immediately immersed in this story and the world! The world building was done so flawlessly that I almost didn't even notice it. It is very romance and character forward, but make no mistake-- the plot is GOOD. However, the romance?? Divine. All-consuming. The type of love that etches itself on your heart and puts down roots. The tension and yearning is immaculate. LJ wrote such an exquisite romance that burned in all the best ways.
I absolutely loved the writing. It's beautiful, vivid, and emotional and I felt so connected to it. Ary is young and at times naive, and I loved reading about her coming into her own and seeing her growth throughout the story! She was so painfully relatable. Feeling lost and like she didn't know herself, alone and betrayed, feeling unwanted, not enough, scared to make the wrong decisions, helpless to the decisions already made for her... My heart aches for her and all of the circumstances and choices that she didn't have a say in. Deep down, she's just a young girl who wants to be free and be loved for who she is. She grew a lot throughout this book and I can't wait to see her absolutely glisten in the next!
Smyth is the new love of my life. Mysterious/broody, morally grey, feeding us with Mr. Darcy hand flexes, the way he would crawl to the ends of the earth and back for Ary. The way this man YEARNS for her, is completely obsessed with her yet is so restrained. My heart ACHES for this man. His backstory honestly gutted me and I'm dying to get more from his pov. His devotion is unparalleled. You know when Gomez says about Morticia: 'I would die for her. I would kill for her. Either way, what bliss." Yeah, that's what Smyth is giving us.
“If a friend is all I ever get to be to you,” he sighed against my temple, “then you should know that you are the best friend I have ever had.”
"Gods be f**king damned,” he groaned, his fingers trailing up the curve of my jaw, gripping my hair, tilting me back, “you’re my heaven.”
Each time I exhaled, he inhaled, as if my breath was sacred.
“Why did you stop?”
“I had to make sure you’re real.”
I'm still squealing over this romance. I swear I highlighted the entire book, and I don't even want to show you all of my favorite quotes here because they deserve to be experienced for the first time while you read. Their love is so tender and ardent.
The plot is definitely a slow build, but the trail of breadcrumbs was executed so well and kept me so invested the whole time. And though I saw some of it coming and was giddy with anticipation to have it confirmed, there will still moments that totally shocked me! The action and reveals/twists in the last quarter of the book were so exciting, everything I love in a fantasy! The way it all comes together just hits you square in the chest with emotion.
These characters and this romance is already stuck in my head. I need the next book immediately. And it's a debut novel??! I am BEGGING everyone to read this book!!!
🩵 Touch her & die
🩵 Forbidden romance / guardian x ward
🩵 slooooow burn (my bread and butter)
🩵 one horse
🩵 self-discovery
🩵 powers of the Gods
I NEED EVERYONE TO READ THIS BOOK!!! It ruined and revived me all at once.
I was so immediately immersed in this story and the world! The world building was done so flawlessly that I almost didn't even notice it. It is very romance and character forward, but make no mistake-- the plot is GOOD. However, the romance?? Divine. All-consuming. The type of love that etches itself on your heart and puts down roots. The tension and yearning is immaculate. LJ wrote such an exquisite romance that burned in all the best ways.
I absolutely loved the writing. It's beautiful, vivid, and emotional and I felt so connected to it. Ary is young and at times naive, and I loved reading about her coming into her own and seeing her growth throughout the story! She was so painfully relatable. Feeling lost and like she didn't know herself, alone and betrayed, feeling unwanted, not enough, scared to make the wrong decisions, helpless to the decisions already made for her... My heart aches for her and all of the circumstances and choices that she didn't have a say in. Deep down, she's just a young girl who wants to be free and be loved for who she is. She grew a lot throughout this book and I can't wait to see her absolutely glisten in the next!
Smyth is the new love of my life. Mysterious/broody, morally grey, feeding us with Mr. Darcy hand flexes, the way he would crawl to the ends of the earth and back for Ary. The way this man YEARNS for her, is completely obsessed with her yet is so restrained. My heart ACHES for this man. His backstory honestly gutted me and I'm dying to get more from his pov. His devotion is unparalleled. You know when Gomez says about Morticia: 'I would die for her. I would kill for her. Either way, what bliss." Yeah, that's what Smyth is giving us.
“If a friend is all I ever get to be to you,” he sighed against my temple, “then you should know that you are the best friend I have ever had.”
"Gods be f**king damned,” he groaned, his fingers trailing up the curve of my jaw, gripping my hair, tilting me back, “you’re my heaven.”
Each time I exhaled, he inhaled, as if my breath was sacred.
“Why did you stop?”
“I had to make sure you’re real.”
I'm still squealing over this romance. I swear I highlighted the entire book, and I don't even want to show you all of my favorite quotes here because they deserve to be experienced for the first time while you read. Their love is so tender and ardent.
The plot is definitely a slow build, but the trail of breadcrumbs was executed so well and kept me so invested the whole time. And though I saw some of it coming and was giddy with anticipation to have it confirmed, there will still moments that totally shocked me! The action and reveals/twists in the last quarter of the book were so exciting, everything I love in a fantasy! The way it all comes together just hits you square in the chest with emotion.
These characters and this romance is already stuck in my head. I need the next book immediately. And it's a debut novel??! I am BEGGING everyone to read this book!!!
🩵 Touch her & die
🩵 Forbidden romance / guardian x ward
🩵 slooooow burn (my bread and butter)
🩵 one horse
🩵 self-discovery
🩵 powers of the Gods
May 28, 2025
'He was so savagely beautiful and exhilaratingly terrifying that I had to remind myself to breathe'.
I feel the exact same way about this book, in that it is truly breathtaking. If Goodreads have me the option, I would give this six stars.
How can my words possibly do justice to a book like this?
It is heavy.
Haunting.
Wholly unforgettable.
This is the kind of beautiful, poetic writing that speaks to my soul and delivers that reading high I am continually chasing.
The plot is emotionally charged with complex characters. Heartfelt, emotive, with foreshadowing throughout that had me forming theory after THEORY, none of them quite adding up, but leaving me with an absolute certainty that I was definitely going to be left emotionally destroyed.
This is a true SLOW burn, deliciously so, frustratingly so, with tension thick enough to slice. The depth of YEARNING weaved through every chapter is intoxicating yet completely devastating at the same time. I found myself rereading paragraphs just to stamp each word into my mind.
There is something in Smyth that is just so unbelievably sad, written with such emotional depth that my heart ached for him even though I was only guessing at the full extent of his story.
The reverence with which he treats Ary, the haunting mix of gentleness and brutality and ANGST had me in a chokehold, the magnetic pull between these two souls completely addictive.
All the little touches, the hands wound in her hair, the thumb tilting her chin? I am FERAL FOR THIS MAN.
This is full to the brim with all of favourite tropes including forced proximity, mentor/protegee, found family, touch her and die, one horse, one bed 😏 - but listing tropes seems to detract from how truly beautiful and emotive the writing is.
The way it all comes together, tying up all my theories while leaving some open for the next book, is incredible. While reading, I messaged LJ to say I needed to read faster to know what happens, but need to slow down because I didn't want it to be over 😭
I cannot wait for the world to discover The Silversmith, it has touched my soul. Infinity stars.
I feel the exact same way about this book, in that it is truly breathtaking. If Goodreads have me the option, I would give this six stars.
How can my words possibly do justice to a book like this?
It is heavy.
Haunting.
Wholly unforgettable.
This is the kind of beautiful, poetic writing that speaks to my soul and delivers that reading high I am continually chasing.
The plot is emotionally charged with complex characters. Heartfelt, emotive, with foreshadowing throughout that had me forming theory after THEORY, none of them quite adding up, but leaving me with an absolute certainty that I was definitely going to be left emotionally destroyed.
This is a true SLOW burn, deliciously so, frustratingly so, with tension thick enough to slice. The depth of YEARNING weaved through every chapter is intoxicating yet completely devastating at the same time. I found myself rereading paragraphs just to stamp each word into my mind.
There is something in Smyth that is just so unbelievably sad, written with such emotional depth that my heart ached for him even though I was only guessing at the full extent of his story.
The reverence with which he treats Ary, the haunting mix of gentleness and brutality and ANGST had me in a chokehold, the magnetic pull between these two souls completely addictive.
All the little touches, the hands wound in her hair, the thumb tilting her chin? I am FERAL FOR THIS MAN.
This is full to the brim with all of favourite tropes including forced proximity, mentor/protegee, found family, touch her and die, one horse, one bed 😏 - but listing tropes seems to detract from how truly beautiful and emotive the writing is.
The way it all comes together, tying up all my theories while leaving some open for the next book, is incredible. While reading, I messaged LJ to say I needed to read faster to know what happens, but need to slow down because I didn't want it to be over 😭
I cannot wait for the world to discover The Silversmith, it has touched my soul. Infinity stars.
July 19, 2025
Wow! What can I say! I absolutely devoured this book and it devoured me. It’s everything I look for in a 5* read.
The Silversmith is so hauntingly beautiful. This book gives you tiny breadcrumbs from the start and theories develop. Those theories develop theories. And those theories develop theories again. Then at the end, you’re left staring at the wall wondering what just happened. This book tore me open at the seams and I’m not sure I’ll be quite the same again!
If you’re after a morally grey MMC who’s dark, broody & possessive but would move heaven and earth for the FMC, then you need to meet Smyth.
If you’re after a strong, resilient and loving FMC, then you need to meet Ary. If you’re after a frustratingly beautiful slow burn, yearning, tortured souls etc then you need to read this book!
Whilst the magic system is spoken about and there are few moments where we see how it works, it leaves you needing more. I think the magic system is so unique in the way it works and I’m so, so excited to see how it develops.
The world & world building is so well done. It’s enough that I was able to see people, places etc in my head but not so much that it took over. A beautiful and well crafted balance.
I could not believe how much I related to this story at the start. Eye colour, freckles, timid, FMC’s first & middle name being very similar to my daughters and two other bigger events. It was actually scary but I’ve never felt so seen in a book before.
If that wasn’t enough for you? Then let’s talk tropes!
🩵 ONE BED!
🩵 One horse
🩵 Slow burn
🩵 Found family
🩵 Forced proximity
🩵 Touch her and 💀
Thank you so much LJ Claren for allowing me to read an arc of your book! I loved everything about it and cannot wait for the next book!
The Silversmith is so hauntingly beautiful. This book gives you tiny breadcrumbs from the start and theories develop. Those theories develop theories. And those theories develop theories again. Then at the end, you’re left staring at the wall wondering what just happened. This book tore me open at the seams and I’m not sure I’ll be quite the same again!
If you’re after a morally grey MMC who’s dark, broody & possessive but would move heaven and earth for the FMC, then you need to meet Smyth.
If you’re after a strong, resilient and loving FMC, then you need to meet Ary. If you’re after a frustratingly beautiful slow burn, yearning, tortured souls etc then you need to read this book!
Whilst the magic system is spoken about and there are few moments where we see how it works, it leaves you needing more. I think the magic system is so unique in the way it works and I’m so, so excited to see how it develops.
The world & world building is so well done. It’s enough that I was able to see people, places etc in my head but not so much that it took over. A beautiful and well crafted balance.
I could not believe how much I related to this story at the start. Eye colour, freckles, timid, FMC’s first & middle name being very similar to my daughters and two other bigger events. It was actually scary but I’ve never felt so seen in a book before.
If that wasn’t enough for you? Then let’s talk tropes!
🩵 ONE BED!
🩵 One horse
🩵 Slow burn
🩵 Found family
🩵 Forced proximity
🩵 Touch her and 💀
Thank you so much LJ Claren for allowing me to read an arc of your book! I loved everything about it and cannot wait for the next book!
July 11, 2025
Great debut book for this incredible start to the series! The world building was outstanding & the character development is immaculate. There’s so much potential for the second book and I can’t wait to see where it goes!
The yearning and slow burn in this was done perfectly. Even though the spice level is low, the tension was done so beautifully that it feels like the book was spicer than it actually is. This is definitely a slow burn since it is a forbidden love story.
Smyth is the perfect balance of morally grey / unhinged & a true romantic. The selfless love he has for the one he adores was tear jerking. When I finally found out the meaning of his tally tattoos I had to take a minute to recover.
I enjoyed that Ary is a strong independent woman. I admired how she was so determined to learn how to fight & didn’t take the easy route. I can’t wait to see her comeback hero story in book two. The ending set it up with a cliffhanger and so many questions!
Spice: 🌶️.5
The yearning and slow burn in this was done perfectly. Even though the spice level is low, the tension was done so beautifully that it feels like the book was spicer than it actually is. This is definitely a slow burn since it is a forbidden love story.
Smyth is the perfect balance of morally grey / unhinged & a true romantic. The selfless love he has for the one he adores was tear jerking. When I finally found out the meaning of his tally tattoos I had to take a minute to recover.
I enjoyed that Ary is a strong independent woman. I admired how she was so determined to learn how to fight & didn’t take the easy route. I can’t wait to see her comeback hero story in book two. The ending set it up with a cliffhanger and so many questions!
Spice: 🌶️.5
June 13, 2025
“Touch my girl and you’ll never see that hand again.”
ARC Reader! 📚 touch her and 💀, unhinged morally grey MMC, only one bed, secret identity.
This book was everything I didn’t know I needed. It’s engaging, emotional and had me theorizing at the end of every chapter. That slowww burn and undeniable romantic desire had me melting all the way through. The world building is perfectly done without being overly unrealistic. The flow and character dynamic are beautifully written.
Smyth is the morally grey, unhinged, older man that I absolutely love in a MMC. His character is deep, dark, fierce, loyal, and so devastatingly poetic. Who doesn’t love a man that would unregretfully burn down the entire world just for his “good girl”?!
Ary is a survivor. She’s been lied to, abandoned and left to fend for herself or die. She uncovers life altering secrets about who she truly is and you can feel every ounce of betrayal in her heart. She is raw, brave and carries her heart on her sleeve.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 10/10 recommend this book to everyone. If you love a good slow burn with undeniable raw emotions that keep you on the edge of your seat, aching for more, then this book is for you!
ARC Reader! 📚 touch her and 💀, unhinged morally grey MMC, only one bed, secret identity.
This book was everything I didn’t know I needed. It’s engaging, emotional and had me theorizing at the end of every chapter. That slowww burn and undeniable romantic desire had me melting all the way through. The world building is perfectly done without being overly unrealistic. The flow and character dynamic are beautifully written.
Smyth is the morally grey, unhinged, older man that I absolutely love in a MMC. His character is deep, dark, fierce, loyal, and so devastatingly poetic. Who doesn’t love a man that would unregretfully burn down the entire world just for his “good girl”?!
Ary is a survivor. She’s been lied to, abandoned and left to fend for herself or die. She uncovers life altering secrets about who she truly is and you can feel every ounce of betrayal in her heart. She is raw, brave and carries her heart on her sleeve.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 10/10 recommend this book to everyone. If you love a good slow burn with undeniable raw emotions that keep you on the edge of your seat, aching for more, then this book is for you!
June 13, 2025
5 ⭐️
1.5 🌶️
LJ Claren had no right to hurt me this good. I swear, there were so many parts in this book that made my heart & soul positively ACHE, & I couldn’t get enough. Aryella is a fantastic FMC. A survivor in every sense, she put forth so much effort into learning & growing stronger every day, without ever giving excuses. The small glimpse we see of her power is so unique, & I’m really looking forward to seeing more of that in this series. And YOU GUYS, Gavin Smyth. Move over book boyfriends, Smyth has entered the chat. This man single-handedly redefines the word “protector.” If he’s not the definition of brutal perfection, I don’t know what is. There’s an obvious connection between these characters that’s clouded in such a mystery, but all of the reveals are truly worth the wait. This book is very character driven & romance heavy, making it extremely emotionally charged. The banter, the tension, the yearning…all of it is completely captivating. I can’t wait to see what’s next for these characters!
🗡️ Bodyguard/gaurdian
🗡️ Age gap
🗡️ Secret identities
🗡️ Touch her & ☠️
🗡️ Prophecy
🗡️ Tension & yearning
Thank you to the author for this advanced copy!
1.5 🌶️
LJ Claren had no right to hurt me this good. I swear, there were so many parts in this book that made my heart & soul positively ACHE, & I couldn’t get enough. Aryella is a fantastic FMC. A survivor in every sense, she put forth so much effort into learning & growing stronger every day, without ever giving excuses. The small glimpse we see of her power is so unique, & I’m really looking forward to seeing more of that in this series. And YOU GUYS, Gavin Smyth. Move over book boyfriends, Smyth has entered the chat. This man single-handedly redefines the word “protector.” If he’s not the definition of brutal perfection, I don’t know what is. There’s an obvious connection between these characters that’s clouded in such a mystery, but all of the reveals are truly worth the wait. This book is very character driven & romance heavy, making it extremely emotionally charged. The banter, the tension, the yearning…all of it is completely captivating. I can’t wait to see what’s next for these characters!
🗡️ Bodyguard/gaurdian
🗡️ Age gap
🗡️ Secret identities
🗡️ Touch her & ☠️
🗡️ Prophecy
🗡️ Tension & yearning
Thank you to the author for this advanced copy!
June 14, 2025
“You’re my queen.” His other hand flexed at his side. “Of course I know your name.”
What a tale of recreation, growth and love! Be prepared to have your heart feeling so lovey dovey and then smashed, on repeat! This book gives you alllll the feels, I may have shed a tear or two. What a journey! What a ride!!! Ary has lost her memories of her first 17 years of life and is constantly trying to fill the emptiness in her soul. Smyth cares about NO ONE but HER! The lies, the betrayal, the immense love, the angst annnnnd the TENSION 🥵 make this book one of my top 3 reads of the year!
“There is no limit to what a determined man will do for one remarkable woman.”
What a tale of recreation, growth and love! Be prepared to have your heart feeling so lovey dovey and then smashed, on repeat! This book gives you alllll the feels, I may have shed a tear or two. What a journey! What a ride!!! Ary has lost her memories of her first 17 years of life and is constantly trying to fill the emptiness in her soul. Smyth cares about NO ONE but HER! The lies, the betrayal, the immense love, the angst annnnnd the TENSION 🥵 make this book one of my top 3 reads of the year!
“There is no limit to what a determined man will do for one remarkable woman.”
July 12, 2025
Please don’t mistake the amount of time it took me to read this as a reflection on the book—I was in book slump after Direbound. But this book? It reached in, yanked me out, and then basically threw me straight into a full-blown book coma. I’ve been haunted—in the best way—ever since.
Thank you LJ Claren for giving me everything I crave in a romantasy. Intrigue, slow-burn tension, a very hot MMC who would be on his death bed crawling to her, and characters I would absolutely go feral for. This book grabbed me by the heart and refused to let go.
It’s been days and I still can’t stop thinking about this world, these characters, and the emotional damage they left behind. I don’t know how I’m supposed to wait for the next one… but just know I’ll be first in line, already screaming. LJ Claren, you’ve got yourself a lifelong fan.
Thank you LJ Claren for giving me everything I crave in a romantasy. Intrigue, slow-burn tension, a very hot MMC who would be on his death bed crawling to her, and characters I would absolutely go feral for. This book grabbed me by the heart and refused to let go.
It’s been days and I still can’t stop thinking about this world, these characters, and the emotional damage they left behind. I don’t know how I’m supposed to wait for the next one… but just know I’ll be first in line, already screaming. LJ Claren, you’ve got yourself a lifelong fan.
May 30, 2025
Dude, if I could give this infinite stars, I would. This book was absolutely phenomenal
I was so blessed to have been chosen along with my friend to be given early access to this book.
This book was everything I could have hoped for and more. It was an AMAZING first arc experience.
The slow burn was beautiful
The banter was everything
The emotional whiplash, while painful was glorious and I gobbled up every second of it
If I could go back and read this for the first time again I 100% would.
I can see this author doing amazing things
So proud of you girly and I’m looking forward to book 2 🫶🏼
I was so blessed to have been chosen along with my friend to be given early access to this book.
This book was everything I could have hoped for and more. It was an AMAZING first arc experience.
The slow burn was beautiful
The banter was everything
The emotional whiplash, while painful was glorious and I gobbled up every second of it
If I could go back and read this for the first time again I 100% would.
I can see this author doing amazing things
So proud of you girly and I’m looking forward to book 2 🫶🏼
June 1, 2025
ARC READ.
WOW! This book will definitely be living rent free in my head for a bit.
MMC is gentle yet aggressive. A touch her, you die.
FMC is fragile and weak at first, but gets stronger. Kinda stubborn, seems to like to annoy the MMC.
Reminded me a bit of beauty and the beast at the beginning, then Violet and Xaden throughout.
❄️Slow burn
❄️Touch her and ☠️
❄️ Violence
❄️ Unexpected twist
❄️ Lost love to found
WOW! This book will definitely be living rent free in my head for a bit.
MMC is gentle yet aggressive. A touch her, you die.
FMC is fragile and weak at first, but gets stronger. Kinda stubborn, seems to like to annoy the MMC.
Reminded me a bit of beauty and the beast at the beginning, then Violet and Xaden throughout.
❄️Slow burn
❄️Touch her and ☠️
❄️ Violence
❄️ Unexpected twist
❄️ Lost love to found
June 1, 2025
Screaming. Crying. Speechless.
That was me when I finished this book. The twists and turns – a rollercoaster of Easter eggs, more developed than I have seen in a while. I picked up on a few but completely missed twice as many, as intended, I am sure. I read this book in ten hours, having received my ARC copy excitedly early. I devoured Ary and Smyth’s slow-burn banter turned soul-shattering love story of centuries. I was unsure of just how enjoyable a book incorporating memory loss of the protagonist’s entire life could be, but it was written so dutifully and majestically that my amnesia trope prejudices were completely irrelevant.
This will be the next hit romantasy series, rivaling in popularity A Court of Thorns and Roses, Fourth Wing, and From Blood and Ash. I cannot wait to recommend LJ Claren’s The Silversmith (and all future books) to every reader I meet.
Five stars cannot encapsulate the indescribable awe of this book. I am eagerly awaiting the next installment.
Favorite quotes:
“You are the air in my lungs. You are light and life. You are the reason I open my eyes every morning and brave this world. You are the tonic to my nightmares, the angel that defies my demons.”
“You’re my heaven.” “And if I was his heaven, he was mine.”
“And if that makes me your villain, then so f***ing be it!”
Tropes:
- Slow-burn
- Banter
- Pining
- One horse/one bed
- Touch her and die (amongst other threats ;))
- Plot twists
- Long-lost royalty
- Unhinged/morally grey MMC
That was me when I finished this book. The twists and turns – a rollercoaster of Easter eggs, more developed than I have seen in a while. I picked up on a few but completely missed twice as many, as intended, I am sure. I read this book in ten hours, having received my ARC copy excitedly early. I devoured Ary and Smyth’s slow-burn banter turned soul-shattering love story of centuries. I was unsure of just how enjoyable a book incorporating memory loss of the protagonist’s entire life could be, but it was written so dutifully and majestically that my amnesia trope prejudices were completely irrelevant.
This will be the next hit romantasy series, rivaling in popularity A Court of Thorns and Roses, Fourth Wing, and From Blood and Ash. I cannot wait to recommend LJ Claren’s The Silversmith (and all future books) to every reader I meet.
Five stars cannot encapsulate the indescribable awe of this book. I am eagerly awaiting the next installment.
Favorite quotes:
“You are the air in my lungs. You are light and life. You are the reason I open my eyes every morning and brave this world. You are the tonic to my nightmares, the angel that defies my demons.”
“You’re my heaven.” “And if I was his heaven, he was mine.”
“And if that makes me your villain, then so f***ing be it!”
Tropes:
- Slow-burn
- Banter
- Pining
- One horse/one bed
- Touch her and die (amongst other threats ;))
- Plot twists
- Long-lost royalty
- Unhinged/morally grey MMC
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