A Bargain of Smoke and Vines (The Sundered Fates Book 1) by J.L. Tomlinson

In the Sundered Kingdoms, we who tend the Grove do not concern ourselves with what lies beyond our borders. Our purpose is to mend and to grow and as the firstborn daughter, I, Amara Tyne, am princess to our people.

But our lands and earthen powers have fallen under the hungry gaze of a would-be usurper, who demands we bend the knee in his quest to take control of this world. Our only hope for survival is an alliance with the fearsome Mordorin Fae, who rule the Sundered Kingdoms with an iron fist. To keep our freedom and protect the Grove, a bargain must be struck, but there is just one thing the Mordorin want… a bride fit for their wicked crown prince, Daedalus Phaedren.

To save my people from destruction, I must leave the lush green of my home and live out my days in the stronghold of Baev’kalath, serving as wife to a heartless killer. But there are secrets within these castle walls, and the rebel army marches ever closer. If I must fight, then I must place myself where I dread most. At Daed’s side.

My Review

“In a world of Shadow Daddies, Prince Daedalus Phaedren’s favorite color is morally black.“

Amara is on a ship heading to the island to marry the prince in a marriage of convenience. She is strong and smart, human but living amongst the fae. I’m immediately intrigued by the fantasy world that begins at sea. 

The minor spelling errors in the story are distracting but I’m curious enough to know what happens. Wow, that first part of the story is action-packed and this Jewel is a true heroine.  

The Fae are something and portrayed as dark soulless creatures who only get a thrill from bloodshed and savagery. She is thrust into this unknown fortress and marriage and must navigate this world to save hers.

Daedalus is morally grey, tall, dark, and fae. We know not much about him. 

Amara is delusional we know she has some form of earth magic and healing abilities but the things she sees and only seems to connect with make me wonder if she is seeing things or if they are real.

The princess’s life is fraught with danger in this gloomy stronghold and her hubby couldn’t be more uninterested. Daedus starts to make more sense now that his past is shared but he still struggles. Oh, things get steamy finally.

So now the princess is seeing things again are they real or just figments of her imagination? This story gets dark in theme as we find out more about Daed and Mordorian people. 

The grove sounds wonderful but even this majestic place is filled with betrayal, war, and chaos. Amara surrounded by friends starts to find herself but can she be strong enough to save it? 

This story has a nice catch to the reader but it reads very fantasy and almost historical as the characters sometimes speak as if they are from nations long ago. I do like the enemies-to-lovers tropes and of course the marriage of convenience. The powers they have and their connection to both nature and darkness are interesting and well done throughout the book.

This book is okay there are parts of it that are amazing and some parts seem to be excessive but it does tell an interesting fantasy romance story with royalty, dark themes, and an arranged marriage.

If you want to read A Bargain of Smoke and Vines by J.L Tomlinson you can find this book on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, I earn on qualifying purchases.

If you like this story you may also enjoy books with these tags and categories: Fantasy Romance, Enemies to Lovers, and Morally Grey.

The next book in the series will be available on tba make sure you follow the author on Amazon , A Ransom of Shadow and Souls (The Sundered Fates Book 2).