A Rose of Blood and Binding (The Middlemist Trilogy, 3)
by Claire LegrandCategory
About this book
New York Times bestselling author of Furyborn, Claire Legrand, delights in this thrilling conclusion to the steamy, lush, and epic Middlemist trilogy, perfect for fans of Bridgerton and A Court of Thorns and Roses. WAR IS RAGING IN EDYN. The battered Middlemist can barely hold itself together. Olden monsters terrorize the land. The gods are awakening from their ancient slumber, but if the vengeful Kilraith destroys them, all will be lost. And it's up to the Ashbourne sisters―demigods, daughters of the goddess Kerezen―to stop him. But the sisters are spread thin. Gemma and Talan travel the world in a desperate search for the gods. In the capital, Farrin and Ryder shelter countless refugees amid roiling unrest. And Mara Ashbourne, bound to the Middlemist and longing for a home she can never return to, is just trying to survive. Every day is chaos as Mara battles invaders and fights to protect her fellow Roses. The presence of librarian Gareth Fontaine―assigned to aid the Roses' war efforts―doesn't help. Charming, brilliant, far too confident, and annoyingly reverent of the Roses―Mara most of all―he's a distraction Mara can't avoid or afford. Especially since she can see the shadows of Mhorghast brimming underneath his dazzling smile. Shadows of violence and shame that she knows all too well. Shadows that terrify her more than any monster. As Mara and Gareth search the Old Country for Kilraith's final three curse-anchors, a slow-burning passion born of sorrow and solace sparks between them, one that could finally bring Mara to the very home she longs for…or drive her toward the dark fate she secretly craves, and bring both worlds crashing down alongside her.
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What readers are saying
WendyThis was a good conclusion to a good series!
"I have enjoyed following the Ashbourne sisters on their journeys. Mara is the sister in focus for this installment, and it is interesting to finally learn more about her history, is she my favorite sister? Probably not because I felt like we kept coming back to the same issue over and over. However, I think she is a very solid character and compelling in her own way. Her relationship with the Warden and the grooming (for lack of better word) she was subject to growing up was difficult to watch and not rage. I waned to get angry at Mara for her reactions so many times which is a little unfair considering she basically brainwashed. On the other hand, Gareth is probably my favorite MMC of the series! I love his sarcastic, irreverent attitude and how he masks a much deeper side to himself. He’s also a sexy scholar and I am a sucker for that. Witty AND well read? Sign me up! The series long plot line was a little overshadowed in this by Mara’s internal struggles with her relationships and past. It made the buildup and battle against the main villain feel less impressive, and slightly anticlimactic in how it is resolved. Overall I enjoyed the book and I like how it wrapped up all the stories and brought the 3 sisters together in the end. The audiobook was a joy to listen to. Evelyn Roe has a beautiful voice and does a good job bringing the characters to life. I’m always impressed when a single person is able to successfully narrate a book, especially in this duet heavy time, and Rose definitely held their own with this one. ["
May 18, 2026
Books Become My Reality -AlisonLoving yourself is the hardest thing to do
"Mara is such a complicated FMC. She knows how to love, but she doesn’t feel worthy of love herself. You can feel how painful her struggle with herself is throughout the book. It’s heartbreaking to walk alongside her and feel her inner struggles especially when it came to Gareth. You are cheering to loudly for her to finally allow herself to just let herself love herself and let others love her throughout the whole book. The book has a huge twist in it, that you may not see coming. There’s battles, there’s sister time, there’s really good banter, heartache, love, family. It’s checks all the boxes for me! ["
May 12, 2026