Series: Elorian #1
Pages: 368
Genres: Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Romantasy, Young Adult
ASIN: B0CW18TZDY
ISBN: 9798333068941
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Source: ARC
"Once I thought he was my new world, my refuge, my life, when he held me into his arms, gently lifted my chin and asked, ‘’Who did this to you? Who gave you all these bruises?"
I thought he would keep me safe from the world, from my parents, who tormented me since childhood.
Little did I know, that it was all a trap. A show. He never loved me. He never really cared for me. All he wanted me was for my powers. And I, like a fool, gave him my heart.”Ariana, the 16-Year-old daughter of a wealthy merchant in Eldenhaven, has endured abuse from her family since childhood. This has eroded her self-confidence, self-trust, and belief in love and familial bonds. Yet, her life dramatically changes after one fateful night when her father expels her from their home, leaving her injured. This expulsion acts as a catalyst, leading her to discover a magical world called Eloria. Here, she begins to experience love with Thorne and starts to rebuild her trust. However, beneath her newfound joy hides a dark secret about Thorne and his world, which Ariana has yet to discover.
This is a tale of Ariana's journey to rediscover herself and her worth amidst the backdrop of a mystical and uncertain world.Will Ariana discover Thorne's crushing secret? Will she be able to trust him afterward?
Tropes:
- Abuse Survivor/Trauma Recovery
- Otherworldly Discovery
- Hidden Power
- Betrayal
- Fae & Dragons
- Coming of Age
- Found Family
My Review
Got sent this by Gemma as an ARC.
What to say, what to say..
I bloody loved it!
It’s got such a strong journey throughout, I resonated with the MC, anyone who’s ever been put down, abused, beaten, emotionally or physically in their life will understand the trauma that inflicts on the soul. That you carry it with you always.
Gemma has captured this so perfectly, and throughout the story the MC grows and becomes stronger, while not forgetting her past. Even though it still troubles her and plagues her throughout.
There is no spice here, it is simply just a beautiful vibe throughout, adventure, mild romance, villains, portals, Fae, elves, dragons!!
The setup for the story can be a little troubling if you aren’t comfortable with graphic scenes of children being physically beaten. It was quite sad, but in a good way, because it truly made me understand what the characters life was like, and the necessity of escape she was able to make later on.
The little romances in the story were so good. Everyone knows developing trust after trauma is very difficult. So this made the romance very sweet. I loved watching them unfold. #karia <3
I adored all the characters, the world building, the plot, the plot twists. I just adored this story. I even went as far as emailing Gemma part way through to tell her so. She is lovely btw.
This is the first book of a series. I did not know this at the time, I found out at the end of the ARC. And damn, after that cliffhanger at the end, I CANNOT wait for book 2!
I will recommend. This book was captivating, interesting, sweet, mysterious and an absolute pleasure to read.
A totally deserved 5* from me. xo
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