FROM THE COLD

In Rose’s fantasy romance novel, a young woman sheds the constraints of her noble status to join a hunt for a malevolent creature.

As the daughter of the Comte de Grecy, 20-year-old Claris knows that her expected role in life is to marry a fellow noble, become the new Comtesse, and give birth to an heir. However, as a passionate practitioner of the impalement arts, Claris yearns to be like the blade-maidens in the neighboring country of Suevia: “fierce in battle and beholden to no man.” When a man named Brahim comes to her father’s estate with news of a demi-lich entering their domain, the opportunity to shake off her constraints presents itself. Demi-lichs are former mages who’ve traded their souls for immortality, spread death and destruction, and steal their victims’ souls. Demi-lichs only can only be killed by a specific type of blade thrown directly into one vulnerable spot. Claris, a highly skilled knife-thrower, successfully convinces her ill father to allow her to go. With her pet lynx Pepin by her side, Claris sets forth with Brahim and six garde from Grecy: Sigibert, Flore, Roul, Dalfin, Odo, and Torsten. However, the monstrous demi-lich isn’t her only challenge. Claris must prove herself to her male companions (and to herself), further hone her blade skills, and contend with marauders, faieries, goblins, and dangerous corpse crawlers. The growing, mutual attraction she and Torsten share may further complicate matters. Over the course of this novel, Rose weaves a compelling story that explores loyalty, duty, and love. The worldbuilding stands out, featuring well-developed magic systems and inspiration from global folklore. Although common romance-genre tropes (“She was glad to unburden her back as she removed her pack, but there was only one bed. A bed large enough to share….”) render some parts predictable, readers will appreciate the diversity of the characters, including LGBTQ+ characters Torsten and Odo, and disabled garde Dalfin.

A well-developed romance-fantasy about determination, loyalty, and duty.