Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Format: eBook
Book Type: Duet/Series (Book #2 – The Nightborn Duet | Crowns of Nyaxia Series)
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Fiction
Review:
OMGGGGGG this book got me. 🥲
If you thought the emotional tension in book one was intense, this one doubles down. Just like The Serpent & The Wings of Night, this sequel is a slow burn, but for all the right reasons. The trust between Oraya and Raihn isn’t handed back overnight – it’s earned, step by painful, complicated, longing-filled step. And wow… the tension. The kind of slow-burn tension that has you screaming “GIRL GO GET YOUR MANS” while also understanding exactly why she’s hesitant.
Oraya’s arc in The Ashes & The Star-Cursed King is so layered. She’s still sharp, still guarded, still carrying all the weight of being a human in a world that wants her dead, but she’s also growing. Not just in power, but in self-awareness, in trust, in choice. And Raihn? Raihn continues to be the perfect blend of chaos, vulnerability, and “I would burn the world down for you” energy.
Beyond the romance (which, yes, is chef’s kiss), the story itself is so solid. There’s political tension, betrayal, fragile alliances, and stakes that keep rising chapter after chapter. Broadbent doesn’t just deliver on the world-building, she expands it. We get to see more of the Rishan world, the Bloodborn threat, and how much is truly at risk.
And the bond… ugh. Just ugh. I won’t spoil it, but the connection is more than physical or emotional – it’s soul-deep, and it adds this extra layer of intensity that made my chest ache.
Honestly? Five stars, no hesitation. I literally stayed up until 3 AM (on a work night…) just to finish this book. Carissa Broadbent has officially earned her spot on my “romantasy authors who own my soul” shelf.
Favorite The Ashes & The Star-Cursed King Quotes:
“I’ll see you soon. Such casual words, and such a deep promise within them.”
“’Loving someone else is a dangerous thing,’ she said.”
“‘You told me once you would beg for me,’ I murmured… ‘So do it.””
“He took a sip of his wine. ‘Oh, how she wounds.’”
“Maybe the king always knew that his greatest love would be his ruination. Maybe he knew it the moment he met her. He’d know it the second time he died, too.”
New to The Nightborn Duet? Read my review of Book #1 – The Serpent & The Wings of Night. Looking for other book recommendations? Check out my Book Reviews.