The Silversmith: A totally addictive fantasy romance (The Selvaren Book 1)

Sarah | Volumes & Vibes

New Obsession!

"✨ BASIC INFO Title: The Silversmith (Book #1 - The Selvaran Series) Author: LJ Claren Release Date: 07/13/2025 Genre/Subgenre: Romantasy Tropes: Slow-Burn Romance, Forced Proximity, He Falls First, Forbidden Love, Trainer/Trainee, Touch her and you’ll ☠️, Mysterious Past and Powers, Political Intrigue, Found Family ✨ VIBE CHECK Think: The Plated Prisoner + Quicksilver + Throne of Glass ⭐ VOLUVIBES RATING Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️ Emotional Damage: It’s been over a week and my stomach still hurts from the emotions this book left me with. Pacing: Perfect - not too fast or slow, the story builds beautifully. Writing Style: Lyrical (but not purple prose) and full of detail, yet easy to read; the world is built around you as you travel through it, so you learn about the characters and their world simultaneously, as opposed to learning strictly from a narrative. Characters: I loved the MMC (whew 🥵) - so much so, he just snagged the #2 spot on my list (you know which list I’m talking about). I am interested to see what happens with the FMC because she did not start out as a warrior or an assassin on page one, so I foresee a large character arc for her. The other characters were immediately likeable and gave the found family vibes I love so much. 📖 SUMMARY (NO SPOILERS) Ary is alone - abandoned by her mother and saddened after the tragic loss of her father and brother, neither of which she can remember losing. While simply trying to survive, a long-lost friend arrives, with an entourage in-toe, to tell her of her true family, her true identity, her true fate. While trekking across the land, Ary learns of long-lost magic and how the world came to be. She also discovers Smyth, the dark warrior that was sent to train her and ready her for the ultimate battle, stirs something in both her memory and her heart. While she knows she faces a dark force set on the destruction of her world - Ary’s soul knows the pull towards him could be the most dangerous battle of all. 💭 REVIEW THOUGHTS Me at the end of this book = rolled into a ball on the floor, staring endlessly into space through tears. I absolutely devoured this book. Like, read all 452 pages in less than two days - which included “adulting” (you know, job, chores, errands, sleep, those sorts of things), type of devoured! I have a pretty high standard (in my humble opinion) when it comes to a Romantasy series. Sometimes it can feel as though you’re reading the same book, over, and over - and OVER again. I think of it like this; I love vanilla cake. It’s nostalgic and dependable, in a tasty sort of way. It appeals to the masses. Romantasy can be a bit like vanilla cake. While delicious at times, it can be boring. The ingredients (tropes) are the same, just tossed about in varying degrees, so the finished product can often feel “cookie-cutter”. (BTW - I don’t even bake, so not sure what’s with all the baking metaphors 🎂). Now, imagine a vanilla cake, coated in buttercream frosting, with confetti sprinkles, pulled in a float decorated with your favorite flowers, driven by a handsome, morally grey man who would do anything for you (a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g), leading a ticker-tape parade held in your honor - ala mode - but instead of ice cream, you’re served up a huge heaping side of the most delicious, tension filled, slow-burn romance. As the first installment in a new series - The Selvaran - this book had everything. It hits emotions I didn’t even know I had. It’s rare for a book to feel unique and yet familiar, but this manages to do just that. LJ Claren seasons the story with the tropes so many of us love, but in doses that left me reeling, heartbroken, but still craving more. The tension and yearning coming from our MMC is so impactful, so palpable, you can almost forget you’re not the FMC (almost - lol)! Really, what is there to say when this is what Smyth is bringing to the table: “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.” This book also had my fantasy-theory wheels turning (which not all Romantasy books can do). There’s political intrigue filled with twists and turns you won’t see coming, a unique magic system and a forgotten history. I fell headfirst into this book and I’m still not sure I’ve found my way out - or that i even want to! 🔮 FAVORITE ELEMENTS Favorite character(s): Smyth (MMC) - Typical, I know - but you read that line, right? 😉 Best trope moment: Slow-burn indeed! The tension between these two! ❤️‍🔥 Book boyfriend ranking (scale of 1-10): 9 - There is no limit to what this man will do. Audiobook note (if applicable): N/A (YET - But I have thoughts when it comes time and have no doubt it will be phenomenal)! 🧢 COMPARABLE TITLES / FANDOM CROSSOVER If you love the adventure and lost-history from Throne of Glass, the longing, yearning and true love from The Plated Prisoner or When the Moon Hatched and the world building or magic system of Quicksilver - you will LOVE this book. ["

Show more

July 24, 2025 Verified Purchase

Melissa

The Yearning!!! So Good!

"OK, I know I sound like a broken record, but this is another one of my favorite reads of the year. There is a small age gap in this book that had me a little unsure at first, but PLEASE push through because it is fully explained and so worth it. (Yes, I ignore it if the MMC is 500+ years old… I’m a hypocrite.) The YEARNING. The TENSION. This man?!?! I was not prepared and ATE. IT. UP. 🔥 I adored both the FMC and MMC, desperately need book two, and even the side characters were so well written. “I swear on every star, every sky, every soul that has passed through this world, I will follow you. I will find you. Whatever it takes.” 🌟 Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 🌶️ Spice: 🌶️🌶️ ✨ Tropes: Forced Proximity, Forbidden Love, He Falls First, Slow Burn, Morally Grey MMC, Yearning, Touch Her, and 💀 The Silversmith (book one in the Selvaren series) by LJ Claren absolutely swept me away. Ughhh… Smyth. Had to get that out. Anyway, back to the review. 😌 Ary Gold is barely holding on after her father and brother’s death and her mother’s mysterious disappearance when a figure from her past and a group of warriors suddenly appear. That’s when she learns her life isn’t nearly as ordinary as she thought. Magic, royal secrets, an arranged marriage, and a destiny she never asked for come crashing into her world, and there’s no turning back. ✨⚔️ She’s forced into training with a dangerous, broody man who is absolutely not the one she’s meant to marry… and becomes the one she can’t ignore. The tension and slow burn hurt so good. 🔥 With enemies closing in, and impossible choices ahead, Ary must decide who she’s willing to become and what she’s willing to sacrifice. Because in this world, power is dangerous… and love might be even more so. 🖤✨ ["

Show more

January 28, 2026 Verified Purchase

Christa

This needs to be your next read!!!!

"I enjoyed this book so much. The characters felt real and the story progressed and evolved in a believable rate. The way the characters layers slowly unfolded and showed their flaws and why they made the choices they did made sense, even when they were frustrating. I loved the excruciatingly slow relationship development it was gradual which made it believable and the tension between Ary and Smyth was one of the best I’ve read. I love them together!!! The cliffhanger is killing me and I need book two immediately!!! ["

Show more

May 15, 2026 Verified Purchase

BookishbyRenee

romantic but frustrating with a side of creepy

"The Silversmith by LJ Caren -The Selvaren, Book 1- 3.5/5⭐️ .5/3🌶️ (1 graphic but partial scene) 2/3🦋 •My Thoughts• This book left me with all sorts of mixed feelings. On one hand, people raved about the yearning and they told the👏🏻truth👏🏻. The plot line was super romantic and the male main character yearned like I’ve never seen before. I really enjoyed the storyline, the premise, and the mystery! The characters were good but I found myself wanting more or different from them. I was especially side-eying Smyth (our MMC) because though he yearned so well, his protective, “touch her and die” vibes got to much for me. *Gasp* I normally eat that trope UP, however something about the way this was executed crossed into creepy land for me. There was also a 10-11 year age gap between our main characters, which is *not* a big deal but the way they talked about it (a lot) gave me a little ick as well. The FMC, Ary, was young at about 18/19 and I felt it, especially with her sheltered and reclusive upbringing. There are some mysteries that I’m interested to have solved but knowing book 2 doesn’t come out until late next year, I don’t know if I’ll have the motivation to continue. A decent debut and definitely a page turner, but overall a bit of a disappointment for me. *Content thoughts: I was surprised that this wasn’t labeled a dark romantasy. The themes and graphic nature of the violence felt comparable to other books I’ve read in the genre. ["

Show more

September 13, 2025 Verified Purchase

Rhiannon Green

Started slow but really picked up!

"While this one started off a little slow for me, I ended up really enjoying it. There was a lot of things I really liked in this book, but that being said, there are quite a few issues as well. My rating is based on vibes, so I want to make that clear up front. Let's start out with the positives. The love story is both beautiful and heartbreaking. The tension is tensioning and the MMC is as cinnamon roll/golden retriever as they come. The world building isn't overly complicated and plot is interesting although not unique. And while all that was fun, there are some major issues. One, the sheer number of italicized words for emphasis was staggering (I counted 14 on one page alone). I blame this on editing and not the author herself. Also, there are portions of the plot that became slightly confusing and underdeveloped. Also, Smyth's love for Art was almost too much at times. And the revelation towards the end you can see coming from the beginning. Regardless, I was really into this story and am very much interested in seeing how it plays out in book 2, which now I have to impatiently wait for! ["

Show more

January 30, 2026 Verified Purchase