Daindreth's Assassin
by Elisabeth WheatleyCategory
About this book
An assassin falls for the archduke she was sent to kill, but killing him might be the only way to save his soul. Magic has two immutable rules - every spell requires a sacrifice, and every curse can be broken. Amira Brindonu is a sorceress turned assassin, bound in a curse that forces her to obey her father, even to the point of high treason. When he orders her to kill the future emperor, she fails, but discovers a secret that could bring the whole of the empire to its knees. The archduke is stricken by a curse that could sentence him and his people to damnation, but Amira could be the only key to breaking it. In a desperate last-ditch effort, the archduke takes Amira prisoner and makes a pact to protect her from her curse if she will help free him of his own. As time begins to run out, Amira soon learns that there are enemies that blades can’t touch, and there are fates worse than death. Caught in a web of sorcery, intrigue, and her growing feelings for the archduke, the assassin must decide just how much she is willing to give to save the only man she’s ever loved. Every curse can be broken, but can two cursed people save each other? Beauty and the Beast meets The Witcher in this fantasy romance that is sure to delight fans of Sarah J. Maas, Kristin Cashore, and Leigh Bardugo.
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What readers are saying
T. TruittGreat read!
"I'm here because of Book Goblin. If you know, you know. I really loved the spice level in this story. Wheatley does a great job building heat between these two and leaving the reader wanting as much as the FMC does. They still manage to keep things clean, which is a breath of fresh air from the "literotica" most stories throw at us. Not to say I don't like a good intimacy scene, but I'm happy with the break from it here. I enjoyed the laid back pace of this story - I often find myself not compelled to return to stories where there's constant war and suffering and this one was set in leisure and finery (which is nice to immerse oneself in!). While things do turn high stakes at the end, the action is engaging without being boring. I often skip pages of fight scenes because they don't feel like they're moving the story to me, but I enjoyed the action here. The MMC's "cinnamon roll" vibe is amazing - I get so tired of alpha a-holes stomping all over the page and upholding patriarchal values of what masculinity "should" look like. Give me a REAL human please - Daindreth is it. I will say that while I was totally here for his vulnerability, I wished he had a little more agency in the story. But this might be Wheatley's design, leaving room for character growth. Our FMC has a nice balance of defiance and knowing when to play the game. Her stubbornness and inborn character traits are what drive her growth in the finale, which felt real to me. She definitely has a lot of agency in the story and drives the plot beautifully without sexist tropes like "win his affection." Will I buy #2? Yes. Why? Spoiler: Virgin guy. I am completely OVER these rakish guys with a thousand conquests under their belts before they meet our FMC. It's another patriarchal value that for some reason female readers uphold? Like it means skill or something? Getting around the block doesn't mean skill. Guys who sleep with dozens of women are gross. Give me that pure, unwrapped candy of a dude who's going to have his mind blown at the levels their relationship will reach. I'm kind of hoping to find that in the next book, but we'll see. Also: Book Goblin entices me to return. Cheers, folks. ["
January 12, 2025 Verified Purchase
Kathryn GageA good book, worth a quick read
"I’ll admit it—I am not immune to propaganda. I was convinced by Wheatley’s numerous reels to read her book, and I found myself pleasantly surprised. This book is fast paced, with a stabby heroine and a softie prince. I loved both characters and found myself rooting for them before the book was even halfway through. This is a slowww burn though, and I imagine the relationship will continue to develop through the series. In this book it was a lot of tension and pining, and I ate it up. On the topic of characters, the villain reveal was well done, and the background characters are all well crafted. I also really enjoyed the magic system and the creative use thereof. This book is action packed, so not only are there good points of peril and creative escapes, but the pace stays quick throughout. I think I read this in two days. Overall, I found this to be an enjoyable fantasy with a touch of romance, fast-paced and entertaining. I appreciated call backs to older fantasy works, which Wheatley has clearly loved. This isn’t a perfect book, and I would say there’s room for improvement with the prose and overall craftmanship, but it remains a good book. I think it would be good for someone wanting a faster fantasy read or a new series to devour. ["
October 19, 2023 Verified Purchase