To after. To now. To eternity.
Steelborn
Taylor J. LaRue
The Steeborn Saga, book one
Hardcover, 432 pages
Published August 4, 2026
ASIN B0FJZ75K5G
ISBN 9780316599412
Enter a world ruled by tyrants and thieves, where magic is outlawed, revolution brews, desire is dangerous, and an impossible cure may prove deadlier than the curse. This deluxe hardcover publication features stunning edges, illustrated endpapers, foil-stamped case cover, and special effects on the jacket.
Never run. Never bow. Never die.
Reya Connery became the Crimson Dagger, the most notorious thief in Rhiterra, by following a strict set of rules. There is no honor among thieves. A good blade is key to any negotiation. Only the dead keep secrets. And Reya has a secret that must be kept at all costs. But when a heist goes wrong on the eve of paying off her debt to a ruthless crime lord, Reya may need a new set of rules. And a lot of coin. Fast.
Enter Caelan Halcyon, an immortal warrior whose magic makes him a valuable target – if the curse inching closer to his heart doesn’t kill him first. There’s just one person who might be desperate enough to try and get their hands on the fabled cure in time to save his life, someone whose legend claims they can steal the Crimson Dagger. A male of honor, Caelan loathes everything the beautiful, cocky thief represents, yet knows that Reya is his last hope for survival.
Their search takes them to the edge of the known world, where Reya discovers that there is far more at stake than her and Caelan’s own lives. Now, Reya must confront deadly foes, her growing attraction to the immortal who is as lethal as his jawline is perfect, and the rage she’s spent a lifetime trying to bury. This time, her daggers aren’t going to cut it, and the fate of all magic-born hangs in the balance.
Introducing an epic, slow burn enemies-to-lovers romantasy novel about a heroine forged in steel and rage, and the cursed immortal who might turn out to be as much her salvation as she is his, perfect for fans of Danielle L. Jensen and Callie Hart.
The sprayed edges sold me on this one. That, and the reverse dust jacket. (That so happened to arrive damaged. Why, Waterstones? Whyyyy?)
There's something about a FMC having a biological response to the MMC upon first glance that makes me smile. Tall. Broad. Deadly.
It's not love at first sight. It's an attraction. A captivation. An undeniable gravitation.
And, Reya, our stabby, defiant, and passionate leading lady, knows exactly what her type is.
Sweet Mother above, he did have calluses.
The situation was not at all funny, but she laughed anyway—right in his gorgeous face.
“Something funny, thief?”
She hummed. Hoping it might throw him off guard, she answered truthfully. “If this were any other circumstance, this would absolutely be doing it for me.”
Same, gurl. Same.
Reya has been stifling her powers with a Kellstone for most of her life. Once Caelan gets his fire fingers on it, into the river it goes. No more dampening. She's forced to feel more, smell more, hear more, and, by her own efforts, suppress the cataclysmic forces that electrify her veins.
Fighting nausea all the way as she endeavors to aid Caelan in his quest for Kraken blood, a legendary cure that will save him from impending death after five hundred years of life and wars as a result of a Fae's curse.
A former general of the Shadow Legion, Caelan is cunning and lethal. He's figured her out. Deduced her name. And watches her shamelessly.
She flirts. He does not.
She inquires. He deflects.
Every page is either a nod to Six of Crows or Aelin and Rowan of ToG.
I do love a solitary and reluctant MMC.
He heals her. He feeds her. He eventually is permitted to train her. And only then does he proceed to flirt with her. But we can't get overly excited at this stage because he's convinced she's everything, while he doesn't 'do more'. They are both riding the "he/she's too good for me" mindset. For those who love a slow burn, you'll get a (arguably dub-con) first kiss at about fifty percent.
And if we can hold that thought for one moment so that I may curse Omira for her cock-blocking. You were saving no one, mi'lady. You gave Caelan shit for kissing a drunk woman who has spent weeks parading an open invitation to him to do that and more. Dub-con, my arse. That was wholly consensual.
This is a story built on an epic scale. Legends and prophecies. Wars and genocide. So many plot lines, characters, and moving pieces.
And a magic system fashioned around a pantheon of long-dead gods. Caelan's a trium with the powers of Fire, Healing, and Raven-shifting. Reya is, at the very least, a duo. A perceptor (able to read minds) and a... light wielder? Colorful bands-called Ire-signifying their powers appear upon their skin. Reya, being a demi-Sage, is able to subdue hers. She's a Guardian. With god-powers.
It's not so much enemies to lovers as it is reluctant allies. Definitely slow burn. The attraction is real, but their relationship is given time and room to evolve into true allies and friends with behavior evident that crossing the line into lovers' territory is inevitable.
She saves him. Damn, does she save him. In return, he's opened her eyes. He's given her the push to seize her future for her own. And they operate with the understanding that their paths are merely crossing right now. He's bound for war. And she deserves some peace. But, there is hope in after.
This is a five star read. Strong FMC with a MMC that backs her up the whole way. Such a strong message. It's reminiscent of Aelin and Rowan of ToG (if Rowan sought out Aelin instead)... a bit of Six of Crows (Pekka Rollins/Lennox Raulins).. and Caelan, being the legendary general that he was, very much had my mind drifting to Maxantarius Farlione of the War of Lost Hearts series. And it's because of its so many similarities to my other highly esteemed reads that it lost the bit of excitement that comes with the anticipation of what would come next. It felt as if I'd read this before.
4 out of 5 stars.
Reluctant allies | He trains her | Age gap | Stabby FMC | One damn-right-you-are saddle
Available in ebook | hardcover | paperback | audiobook
2026/40
