What do you think?
Rate this book
Descended of Dragons #3
Betrayal Foretold
A Bitter Betrayal
Stella Stonewall exposed her scaly side to save the man she loves, the soulful and sexy Ewan Bristol. But her troubles have only just begun. A treacherous betrayal at the hands of a trusted confidante leaves her running for her life.
An Impossible Choice
An unlikely savior offers Stella a way out, but it means leaving everything—and everyone—behind. Can she give up the only home, the only friends she’s ever known to save herself?
A Chance to Have It All
Stella learns of an ancient curse that, if lifted, could change everything. To alter the course of history she must trust her former lover Rowan Gresham, and she must trust the machinations of fate: that she may be the key to it all.
Betrayal Foretold is a fast-paced, emotional ride through the mesmerizing world of Thayer. This third book in the Descended of Dragons series, a new adult fantasy romance, is a can’t-put-it-down story of loss and self-invention, of survival, and of the selfless pursuit to secure the happiness of friends.
Stella Stonewall exposed her scaly side to save the man she loves, the soulful and sexy Ewan Bristol. But her troubles have only just begun. A treacherous betrayal at the hands of a trusted confidante leaves her running for her life.
An Impossible Choice
An unlikely savior offers Stella a way out, but it means leaving everything—and everyone—behind. Can she give up the only home, the only friends she’s ever known to save herself?
A Chance to Have It All
Stella learns of an ancient curse that, if lifted, could change everything. To alter the course of history she must trust her former lover Rowan Gresham, and she must trust the machinations of fate: that she may be the key to it all.
Betrayal Foretold is a fast-paced, emotional ride through the mesmerizing world of Thayer. This third book in the Descended of Dragons series, a new adult fantasy romance, is a can’t-put-it-down story of loss and self-invention, of survival, and of the selfless pursuit to secure the happiness of friends.
220 pages, ebook
Published May 31, 2016
60 people are currently reading
484 people want to read
About the author
Jen Crane
7 books175 followersJen Crane has published six novels, including Sunscorched, winner of the Rosemary Award for excellence in young adult fiction, and Rare Form, an Amazon #1 Bestseller.
Raised on a working cattle ranch, Jen grew up around open skies and untamed beauty. Storytelling came naturally. She writes with equal parts heart and grit, blending the wildness of nature with the wonder of the unknown.
Jen has a master’s degree and spent years in government and nonprofit work before deciding life was far too real for nonfiction. Now she creates immersive worlds and unforgettable characters where anything is possible.
She lives in the South with her family and too many pets.
Connect with Jen on any social media
@JenCraneBooks
Sign up to receive sneak peeks, news, and giveaways at bit.ly/Jen_Crane_Newsletter
Raised on a working cattle ranch, Jen grew up around open skies and untamed beauty. Storytelling came naturally. She writes with equal parts heart and grit, blending the wildness of nature with the wonder of the unknown.
Jen has a master’s degree and spent years in government and nonprofit work before deciding life was far too real for nonfiction. Now she creates immersive worlds and unforgettable characters where anything is possible.
She lives in the South with her family and too many pets.
Connect with Jen on any social media
@JenCraneBooks
Sign up to receive sneak peeks, news, and giveaways at bit.ly/Jen_Crane_Newsletter
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 2, 2016
WTF
I enjoy this series and the concept a lot but at the same time I find some aspects are missing. With this book, I'm not sure what to think. The beginning left me with a big WTF and as I continued to read, I felt the plot wasn't moving. I couldn't really see where the author was going and how the story even matched with her description for the book. I kept stopping to read the description she had for the book and then wondering when the book was going to match it. What great betrayal? And when was she going to start relying on her ex-lover, Rowan.
And speaking of Rowan and Ewan and her. I don't see it. I'm still left so confused on to why she's so madly in love with Ewan and I still don't understand how her relationship with Rowan turned the way it did. I mean, I understand the events that occurred leading up to this book but as some people have pointed out, she seems so tweeny. A little too tweeny in some parts and truthfully a little self-absorbed. But that's okay, I still like her, I just feel like key pieces are missing in her relationship with Ewan and I'm a huge Rowan fan.
The plot itself is interesting. It starts out definitely different. What normally happens, say, at the end of a book happens right at the beginning, making a huge problem very anticlimactic. Then it slows down until about three fourths of the way and then picks right back up again, finally giving me the answers I've been looking for, as in how does this story match her description.
Overall, if you haven't guessed, I'm disappointed. I was hoping for so much and didn't get it. She writes wonderfully but the plot needed more work.
I enjoy this series and the concept a lot but at the same time I find some aspects are missing. With this book, I'm not sure what to think. The beginning left me with a big WTF and as I continued to read, I felt the plot wasn't moving. I couldn't really see where the author was going and how the story even matched with her description for the book. I kept stopping to read the description she had for the book and then wondering when the book was going to match it. What great betrayal? And when was she going to start relying on her ex-lover, Rowan.
And speaking of Rowan and Ewan and her. I don't see it. I'm still left so confused on to why she's so madly in love with Ewan and I still don't understand how her relationship with Rowan turned the way it did. I mean, I understand the events that occurred leading up to this book but as some people have pointed out, she seems so tweeny. A little too tweeny in some parts and truthfully a little self-absorbed. But that's okay, I still like her, I just feel like key pieces are missing in her relationship with Ewan and I'm a huge Rowan fan.
The plot itself is interesting. It starts out definitely different. What normally happens, say, at the end of a book happens right at the beginning, making a huge problem very anticlimactic. Then it slows down until about three fourths of the way and then picks right back up again, finally giving me the answers I've been looking for, as in how does this story match her description.
Overall, if you haven't guessed, I'm disappointed. I was hoping for so much and didn't get it. She writes wonderfully but the plot needed more work.
July 25, 2016
I liked the idea of the series and it had good moments, but reading the last book of the series has cemented the low rating. I kept hoping the writing would improve with each book and that the last book would make up for any series deficiencies, but no. If anything this book had more cringeworthy and corny moments than the last two.
The conflict is so easily resolved in this story and as a reader, you don't get the feeling the characters had to really work hard for the great things they achieved. Probably an issue of being told rather than shown. The whole book felt kind of rushed
Lastly, sometimes I really couldn't stand Stella, the main character, she did things I didn't understand or just felt made no sense. She also made decisions I felt were really immature and selfish at times. Now that may sound harsh. No lead character needs to be perfect and I don't expect them to. However, in this type of novel where we are meant to root for the protagonist and want them to win, the author needs to make the character likable. For me, she wasn't likable enough.
Overall felt really anticlimactic for a series ending.
The conflict is so easily resolved in this story and as a reader, you don't get the feeling the characters had to really work hard for the great things they achieved. Probably an issue of being told rather than shown. The whole book felt kind of rushed
Lastly, sometimes I really couldn't stand Stella, the main character, she did things I didn't understand or just felt made no sense. She also made decisions I felt were really immature and selfish at times. Now that may sound harsh. No lead character needs to be perfect and I don't expect them to. However, in this type of novel where we are meant to root for the protagonist and want them to win, the author needs to make the character likable. For me, she wasn't likable enough.
Overall felt really anticlimactic for a series ending.
June 1, 2016
A great finish!
I really enjoyed this story! It never went where I expected it to, and that was refreshing! I loved the world building in this series, and I'd definitely like to see a few novellas from Thayer! I'd recommend this series to anyone that enjoys an escape from the real world, but is looking for more to a story than hero vs villain or an unrealistic sappy romance. There's politics, intriguing curses, villains (but not who you'd expect) and happiness that the characters fight for, what more could you want?
I really enjoyed this story! It never went where I expected it to, and that was refreshing! I loved the world building in this series, and I'd definitely like to see a few novellas from Thayer! I'd recommend this series to anyone that enjoys an escape from the real world, but is looking for more to a story than hero vs villain or an unrealistic sappy romance. There's politics, intriguing curses, villains (but not who you'd expect) and happiness that the characters fight for, what more could you want?
May 25, 2016
Feel head over hills for this book I had to make myself put it down just to sleep last night! If you haven't read this series yet you need to!!!
March 17, 2017
I definately did not like the finish! Firs book - 5, Second - 4, Third - 1.
Series - 3 star because of the third book.
For me the third book ended at the begining - if you read it you will know exactly where. If not - you'll see.
SPOILER ALERT!
First of all the book is titled "Betrayal Foretold" - I did not see a betrail anywhere - Yes, Livia was a baddie - "big" shock! I was expecting Ewan to betray her the whole time because you know - betrail is when you don't expect it. Livia's melt down was not unexpected and it didn't feel real or have an unexpected twist. We have two books of no Gresham wife, then a tiny-little mention from Gaspare and then we were expected to say "WOW! That blew my mind!"? Nope! It was more like - "Ok, the autor wanted some big revelation, but couldn't come with something cool, so it was sucked from one's fingers (as we say)."
The debth of Gresham's character for me came from the story of his father, the idea that he was a tortured child of an evel man - a broken child even, and he was trying really hard to make amends for the sins of his dad. But not quite well described too - where was his internal strugle, where was his torture? I expexted more from such backstory.
Stella on the other hand was weak character for me in this book. She started as such a bad ass in the begining of the series- strong person, independant woman, hungry for knowledge - and ended spoiled little girl who depends on others to fix her problems (Gaspar and her suitmate).
Ewan - that was a character I did not get. Backstory - not existent. Character - flat. Balls - if you ask Stella - big, but not really. In all the second and third book he had this ownery feelings for Stella, but it was actually creepy.
Ending - honestly I never expected her to end up wit Ewan. So boring...
I honestly think the author wanted her to end up with Gresham, but couldn't think of a way and at some point the deadline said it's word and there were no time to fix the book.
Series - 3 star because of the third book.
For me the third book ended at the begining - if you read it you will know exactly where. If not - you'll see.
SPOILER ALERT!
First of all the book is titled "Betrayal Foretold" - I did not see a betrail anywhere - Yes, Livia was a baddie - "big" shock! I was expecting Ewan to betray her the whole time because you know - betrail is when you don't expect it. Livia's melt down was not unexpected and it didn't feel real or have an unexpected twist. We have two books of no Gresham wife, then a tiny-little mention from Gaspare and then we were expected to say "WOW! That blew my mind!"? Nope! It was more like - "Ok, the autor wanted some big revelation, but couldn't come with something cool, so it was sucked from one's fingers (as we say)."
The debth of Gresham's character for me came from the story of his father, the idea that he was a tortured child of an evel man - a broken child even, and he was trying really hard to make amends for the sins of his dad. But not quite well described too - where was his internal strugle, where was his torture? I expexted more from such backstory.
Stella on the other hand was weak character for me in this book. She started as such a bad ass in the begining of the series- strong person, independant woman, hungry for knowledge - and ended spoiled little girl who depends on others to fix her problems (Gaspar and her suitmate).
Ewan - that was a character I did not get. Backstory - not existent. Character - flat. Balls - if you ask Stella - big, but not really. In all the second and third book he had this ownery feelings for Stella, but it was actually creepy.
Ending - honestly I never expected her to end up wit Ewan. So boring...
I honestly think the author wanted her to end up with Gresham, but couldn't think of a way and at some point the deadline said it's word and there were no time to fix the book.
February 28, 2018
1.5 stars for the series. At first I was glad to read a story where the theme is to let everyone be who they are and love who they love. Wasn’t enough though. One-dimensional characters apart from the lead. And it is NOT romantic when men talk of women as theirs to own, like objects to be possessed. It is not cool to use controlling men to create tension. She should have given both cardboard male characters the middle finger. And what a rushed ending...
May 28, 2019
An ending foretold
I believe that I would have given this book a higher rate if it hadn't ended so quickly. It seemed like the author was happy making Stella show her pivitol role and then boom it was time to finish. I was mostly dissappointed by that.
I believe that I would have given this book a higher rate if it hadn't ended so quickly. It seemed like the author was happy making Stella show her pivitol role and then boom it was time to finish. I was mostly dissappointed by that.
December 12, 2016
Wasn't really the biggest fan of this book/series. The plot seemed to be structured a bit randomly, and there just seemed to not be that much point in most of the book.
May 18, 2017
I liked it but I feel like it was missing a lot, I was left with many doubts.
May 7, 2020
Had so much promise at the start but turned into a rote paranormal romance.
July 22, 2025
Quick and easy paranormal romance.
February 2, 2017
First I want to say that I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I had to give this book 4 stars and it KILLS ME! I f****ing LOVED the first two books with a passion and waited not so patiently for this book to come out.
The Amazing:
- The world that the author has created is fantastic. Way beyond anything I could come up with. Fantastic detail that pulls you into the story and makes you want to continue reading.
- character development is fantastic. I really bonded with all the characters and feel for them, i love watching them grow as characters and seeing how they react to certain situations and hardships that come their way.
-the series in general, there is a very good progression in this series, great writing that keeps you wanting to read more.
-The writing - the author has a way and pulling me in, I cannot put her books down. All three of these books I read in 1 sitting.
- new character: We got to meet a lot of new people in this book which was very exciting. The characters in this series never cease to amaze me. Some characters we have met before and are FINALLY getting some background information on them.
The not great:
-The betrayal did not seem to be too big a deal and was glossed over rather quickly
-a lot of characters that provided a fun and upbeat air to the book were not present for a lot of the book. This was necessary for the story line but i felt like i was missing out a little bit.
-the plot in general : not that the story was not well written,it was interesting and kept me up to all hours of the night (I finished the book in 1 sitting). But the book started with a lot of action, it was wrapped up very quickly within the first few chapters and the rest of the book was anti-climatic. I kept waiting for something BIG to happen, someone to cause a conflict or surprise. but nothing happened. It feels like most of this book was more informational and rushed.
A few things... **Spoilers ahead**
The book was still a ride. You got to learn a lot of history and backstory on the characters as well as the new world Stella is living in. Unfolding secrets was very interesting, I just wish there was a bigger threat looming on the sidelines ready to swoop in and mess things up for the characters.
All in all, this book felt rushed and anti climatic. HOWEVER, I would still highly recommend this entire series to any lovers of fantasy. I feel like this story wrapped up well but there are still a lot of questions that need to be answered, I am hoping there is another book and that we can see where the characters go from here. The ending of this book did leave a big opening for something huge to happen if continued and I would jump at the chance to continue Stellas story.
I had to give this book 4 stars and it KILLS ME! I f****ing LOVED the first two books with a passion and waited not so patiently for this book to come out.
The Amazing:
- The world that the author has created is fantastic. Way beyond anything I could come up with. Fantastic detail that pulls you into the story and makes you want to continue reading.
- character development is fantastic. I really bonded with all the characters and feel for them, i love watching them grow as characters and seeing how they react to certain situations and hardships that come their way.
-the series in general, there is a very good progression in this series, great writing that keeps you wanting to read more.
-The writing - the author has a way and pulling me in, I cannot put her books down. All three of these books I read in 1 sitting.
- new character: We got to meet a lot of new people in this book which was very exciting. The characters in this series never cease to amaze me. Some characters we have met before and are FINALLY getting some background information on them.
The not great:
-The betrayal did not seem to be too big a deal and was glossed over rather quickly
-a lot of characters that provided a fun and upbeat air to the book were not present for a lot of the book. This was necessary for the story line but i felt like i was missing out a little bit.
-the plot in general : not that the story was not well written,it was interesting and kept me up to all hours of the night (I finished the book in 1 sitting). But the book started with a lot of action, it was wrapped up very quickly within the first few chapters and the rest of the book was anti-climatic. I kept waiting for something BIG to happen, someone to cause a conflict or surprise. but nothing happened. It feels like most of this book was more informational and rushed.
A few things... **Spoilers ahead**
The book was still a ride. You got to learn a lot of history and backstory on the characters as well as the new world Stella is living in. Unfolding secrets was very interesting, I just wish there was a bigger threat looming on the sidelines ready to swoop in and mess things up for the characters.
All in all, this book felt rushed and anti climatic. HOWEVER, I would still highly recommend this entire series to any lovers of fantasy. I feel like this story wrapped up well but there are still a lot of questions that need to be answered, I am hoping there is another book and that we can see where the characters go from here. The ending of this book did leave a big opening for something huge to happen if continued and I would jump at the chance to continue Stellas story.
Read
January 5, 2017Stella's secret is out and now everyone in Thayer knows she's a dragon. And, in a world where dragons were responsible for nearly killing off other species, it's safe to say that all dragons are feared. Which is how Stella finds herself on the run from bloodthirsty Thayerian's who would like nothing more than to have Stella executed. Betrayal Foretold is the conclusion to the Descended of Dragons Trilogy.
I really enjoyed the previous two books to Stella's story but something about this book felt off. It honestly felt like a rough draft. It didn't flow as easily as the previous books, it didn't have the depth the others had, and while it dragged on for the majority of the story, I felt like the most important parts were small and glossed over.
The synopsis is also a bit misleading. It talks about a treacherous betrayal by a loved one, but I've no idea what it's referring to. It talks about an unlikely savior when the person who steps in to help out is pretty much who I would have thought would help out in that situation. It also states that she has to trust her former lover and fate, which makes you think that Stella and Gresham are going to have to pool together to try to fight this curse on their own, except that's not the case at all. I kind of wish the synopsis reflected what was actually in the book instead of making it sound like some drama-filled, action-packed ending when it was really kind of slow-building and not all that exciting.
Now, while I did have problems with this book, I still enjoyed the story as a whole. I liked getting to learn about Thayer and meeting all the people there. I enjoyed reading about their history and the folklore of their realm. I liked watching Stella go from a normal human to learning she was able to change into any animal... and and that she was also half DRAGON. Plus, I just enjoyed the world that the author created. However, I just felt like this book was maybe rushed and wasn't as well laid out and fleshed out as the previous two books. I will still keep an eye out for what the author comes out with next.
I really enjoyed the previous two books to Stella's story but something about this book felt off. It honestly felt like a rough draft. It didn't flow as easily as the previous books, it didn't have the depth the others had, and while it dragged on for the majority of the story, I felt like the most important parts were small and glossed over.
The synopsis is also a bit misleading. It talks about a treacherous betrayal by a loved one, but I've no idea what it's referring to. It talks about an unlikely savior when the person who steps in to help out is pretty much who I would have thought would help out in that situation. It also states that she has to trust her former lover and fate, which makes you think that Stella and Gresham are going to have to pool together to try to fight this curse on their own, except that's not the case at all. I kind of wish the synopsis reflected what was actually in the book instead of making it sound like some drama-filled, action-packed ending when it was really kind of slow-building and not all that exciting.
Now, while I did have problems with this book, I still enjoyed the story as a whole. I liked getting to learn about Thayer and meeting all the people there. I enjoyed reading about their history and the folklore of their realm. I liked watching Stella go from a normal human to learning she was able to change into any animal... and and that she was also half DRAGON. Plus, I just enjoyed the world that the author created. However, I just felt like this book was maybe rushed and wasn't as well laid out and fleshed out as the previous two books. I will still keep an eye out for what the author comes out with next.
February 1, 2017
I struggled my way through this. I liked the characters enough from the other books to pick this entry to the series up, but damn, it read like a rough draft. I was confused as to why I couldn't bring myself to care about the story and realized it was because the entire book reads like a list. No transitions, huge amounts of things summed up in two pages. Stella does this, Stella does that. Like the skeleton of the story was written and it was published without adding in the rest.
The romance was just straight up boring and the "tension" between Ewan and Gresham felt contrived.
The characters in general were really flat and I stopped caring about them. There was a moment with Stella's mom that seemed promising but that whole relationship was a massive missed opportunity. There was an interesting sassy older lady character introduced, and she was probably the only character I felt compelled to care about.
Bleh. This was a miss for me, and not worth the cost of a full length novel.
The romance was just straight up boring and the "tension" between Ewan and Gresham felt contrived.
The characters in general were really flat and I stopped caring about them. There was a moment with Stella's mom that seemed promising but that whole relationship was a massive missed opportunity. There was an interesting sassy older lady character introduced, and she was probably the only character I felt compelled to care about.
Bleh. This was a miss for me, and not worth the cost of a full length novel.
May 22, 2016
While Stella is in hiding her hiding spot is discovered by the very people she is hiding from! Then things turn worse when she is told she is going to be incarcerated at the hands of a trusted friend.
An unlikely savior offers Stella a way out but it means that everyone thinks she’s gone. Can she give up the only friends she’s ever known to save herself?
An Ancient curse if lifted could just change everything! To alter the course of history she must find it in herself to be able to trust Rowan again. With the help of a few new people who knows what they can accomplish!
This was a book that was hard to put down and Jen Crane does it again, gives us with a book that leaves us wanting more!
An unlikely savior offers Stella a way out but it means that everyone thinks she’s gone. Can she give up the only friends she’s ever known to save herself?
An Ancient curse if lifted could just change everything! To alter the course of history she must find it in herself to be able to trust Rowan again. With the help of a few new people who knows what they can accomplish!
This was a book that was hard to put down and Jen Crane does it again, gives us with a book that leaves us wanting more!
October 3, 2016
This is a book which made my day. I feared for the MC so much, she is not a pansy she fought and fought and with help and determination she won a fight, but not THE fight. The important fight against hate and intolerance. Stella and co, settled the wrongs that ignorance and fear perpetrated, but they still didn't win because of human nature. But so what? When you can't win, you just have to create your place and bring together those who see as you see, feel as you feel and seek as you seek for peace, understanding and fellowship. Let the haters stew in their negative feelings and pursue happiness. That's what I saw and read in this story.
So Five star, congratulation miss Crane. I'm one of your fan!
So Five star, congratulation miss Crane. I'm one of your fan!
February 15, 2017
I won't lie I was incredibly disappointed in this after enjoying the first two in the series. This reads more like a quick first draft than a well planned out finale to a series. Major plot points are glossed over, problems are resolved in a matter of sentences, and some things just simply don't make sense. Not even Ewan was that great this time. In fact, all the characters felt very cookie-cutterish. What a dud.
June 26, 2016
3 1/2 Stars
As a whole I really enjoyed the series. It was unique and suspenseful and action packed, throw in a complicated love life and you have an interesting story. So why 3 1/2 Stars? I was hooked up until the last quarter of the book and then , for me, things began to unravel. The ending felt rushed and overall too many questions were left unanswered for this to be the last book in the series. I was left feeling unsatisfied in the end.
As a whole I really enjoyed the series. It was unique and suspenseful and action packed, throw in a complicated love life and you have an interesting story. So why 3 1/2 Stars? I was hooked up until the last quarter of the book and then , for me, things began to unravel. The ending felt rushed and overall too many questions were left unanswered for this to be the last book in the series. I was left feeling unsatisfied in the end.
June 9, 2019
*PG-18 (Better for High School and above)
* Great story line —-Dragons and secret worlds—few make out scenes ( nothing too vivid) and little bad language(rare) making rating PG-21.
Mrs. gives it thumbs up:)
* Great story line —-Dragons and secret worlds—few make out scenes ( nothing too vivid) and little bad language(rare) making rating PG-21.
Mrs. gives it thumbs up:)
June 11, 2016
It's amazing and romantic.
It was surprising really.
I loved it sooo much.
It made me stay up all night to see what happens next!
It was surprising really.
I loved it sooo much.
It made me stay up all night to see what happens next!
July 4, 2016
There was a lot of build up with a quick unsatisfying ended. There were a lot of questions left unanswered.
August 7, 2016
Maybe the older I get the more pessimistic I am. This book just seemed corny to me. Happy endings for everyone! Just wasn't feeling it.
April 19, 2017
This is really 3.5 it would have been a 4 however there were times in the book when the herione acted like she was 16 and not someone who graduated from college almost a year ago, which made her no younger than 23 to 24 years old. One example when her mother wanted to go back home, her mother told her and even said goodbye and yet she whined internally how she felt like her mother was abandoning her. What woman of 23 would expect her mother to just stay with her when she comes to visit and never go back home? Especially when you know all the bad memories she had in place you are.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2017
ending left so many unanswered questions
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews