This was a fun read! I was expecting this to be a little darker, and maybe the rest of the series will be based on the ending, but it was good. It was cozy almost. I also have not read the Dark Halos trilogy, where a lot of these characters were introduced previously. I think it would have been helpful to have read it, yet the author did a great job of giving enough backstory to get by. The world and magic system were developed throughout the whole book as well so this book could stand on its own.

It was around the 60% mark that I realized that not a whole lot had happened, yet the time did fly by. I was very invested in the characters and loved the tension between Asmo and Valeria. The chemistry was instant and the banter was top notch.

My five star rating is mainly based on vibes, I'll be honest. Some of the storylines in this were kind of predictable, but I was still very interested to see how everything would develop and play out. The writing was very smooth and flowing for me, and this book just scratched an itch for me that I needed at this point in time.

While I wait for book two, I'll have to finally read the Dark Halos trilogy for Alice and Kai's story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for allowing me to listen to an ALC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

2.5 Stars. I got an advance copy of the upcoming audiobook for this from NetGalley and I liked the narrators, and I thought that their performance was actually pretty good, I think I might’ve liked the audiobook and the performance of it better than I liked the story itself. The idea of the story is great, but I don’t think I’m a huge fan of the writing style and so much of the plot felt rushed and very surface level. Nothing about this book was great, but nothing was terrible either. It was a very OK book. The characters were OK, but the lack of any kind of real character development made them a little boring. And despite things happening throughout the book to advance the plot by the time we got to the end, it still felt like nothing had happened, and then the last few chapters were super rushed, and it just was far from my favorite fantasy read of the year.

A Fated Vow by Amanda Aggie
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️
Demons and elves? Yes please! This was the first Amanda Aggie book I have read and it was such a good read. As someone who wasn’t familiar with the world, it took a little while to get my head around the over arching characters, with cameos from many who I presume played pivotal roles in previous books.
That being said, it was still an enjoyable book for someone new to the universe!

Asmo, the demon prince, was the misunderstood main male character who had been misjudged and mistreated his whole life, come home to find an elf squatting in his home. Valeria, the elf who was being trapped in an arranged marriage by her father, escaped from a shipwreck and wished for her father to believe her dead, had been hiding out in Grimm’s Keep.
Following a deal struck between the two, sparks begin to fly.

Overall, the story mainly focuses on getting to know the characters. In terms of plot, it is somewhat slower than I would have liked, with not a lot happening in this book. That being said, I was left wanting more and can’t wait to read the next book! In the meantime I am going to have to go and check out some of Aggie’s other books.
I was gifted the audiobook arc version of this book by NetGalley. I loved the narrators and felt that they fitted the characters perfectly. This book was a dual POV with a different narrator voicing Asmo and Valeria. I enjoyed both voices, and felt that the tone of voice matched each other perfectly.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amanda Aggie for proving me with this arc in exchange for an honest review

I'm getting bored of the same romantasy story again and again. There was nothing about this that was original. Most of the world building (there wasn't much) is told not shown in the first couple chapters and the rest was a slog to get through. I DNF'd at 35% because it wasn't substantial enough to hold my attention anymore.

I think, unfortunately, this book was not for me. I do think fundamentally it had a lot of great things going for it but the story line seems a little generic. I did really think the narrators brought the characters to life very well so that is an aspect I definitely enjoyed.
I do wonder if I am missing out as I haven’t read the prequel series to this but regardless it feels like it leaned a little young adult, not necessarily a bad thing if that’s what was intended but due to the spicy parts, which were admittedly fun, I know that isn’t the case.

I also will say I think the use of trendy or modern terminology in fantasy can be a little off putting. For example, “twerking” gargoyles really took me out of the story for a while.

I do think there is an audience for this though, it is just not me.

Thank you to Tantor audio and NetGalley for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was an absolute breath of fresh air in the fantasy realm! I loved every moment!

The MMC is Demon Prince Asmos. He is morally gray and has ‘burn the world down for her vibes’ and I’m here for it. A lot of the book is from his POV and it’s great. His inner monologue is so witty and the banter between him and the MFC and his nephew is fantastic.

MFC is a girl from the Elven Islands and there is going to be a lot to unfold for her character and her and Asmos together.

The world building was so exciting as well as the way the whole story is seeming to unfold. The cliffhanger was ughhhh but not to where I’ll lay motionless in a bed for hours sad 🤣. I cannot wait to see how this series goes!

Fated anything will always be a favorite trope and this story really gripped me from the beginning. I loved how our love interest is one of most “evil” demons known to man but his nature quickly shines as he begins to fall and cherish Valeria. The enemies to lovers trope was also done extremely well and right off the bat you will see how much tension to expect from their romance - the push and pull of it was such a good slow burn and then the touch her and die vibes at the end when Ash realizes she’s mate?!?! *Chef’s Kiss*

This was an interesting story which was easy to read. I liked the characters and enjoyed the way they were narrated in the audiobook, as well. The dynamic between Valeria and the demon who should, by all rights, be her enemy is fun to see and we get to know both of their characters through the course of the story. There are some drops of humour laced through the book, a good dose of magic and some elven/demon rivalry to contend with. I wasn't convinced by the chemistry between the two main characters and would have liked to see this better developed, and it had me skipping the spicy scenes throughout as I wasn't really feeling it, but it felt like the author is really beginning to build something there - just perhaps not quickly enough! I'd be interested to see where their story takes them now, especially with such a dramatic ending!

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

I'll be honest, the cover for the audio is what drew me in, and I went in blind to A Fated Vow. Overall, it wasn't bad, I did enjoy it, but it wasn't anything spectacular. The plot was super predictable, but I really loved the banter between the MCs.

great fantasy book. hard to stand out in a world of fantasy books everywhere. i definitely recommend and will eagerly await the second and if there are any more!

I have not read the prequel series, so my rating may be impacted by that. This book is marketed as a romantasy, but the vibe feels more like a cozy fantasy with a touch of romance.

I liked the banter between the FMC AND MMC, but their characters seemed very two dimensional.

While this was a fun story, the plot and world building felt lacking. Again, this may be due to the fact that I have not read the 1st series where the world is introduced.

“I had two goals for today, to move back into the keep I grew up in and maybe get a cat.”

I connected with the FMC, Valeria, the moment she started stabbing. After literally being left for dead by her “sack of potatoes” betrothed, she washes up on an island and decides to pretend she died in the shipwreck and begin a new life. Shortly after settling in a ruined keep, she collides with Asmodeus (Asmo), who presents as a grumpy, morally grey demon, but this harbinger of death is a cinnamon roll for her. I loved Amanda’s description of Asmo as “sophisticated chaos”

I enjoyed the world building and magic system in this book, and I’m looking forward to reading some of Amanda’s other books to get some more insight, especially the Harry Potter reference. I also enjoyed Asmo’s nephew, Griffin, and thought he was a hilarious addition of comedic relief.

Lila Winters and E. M. Wylde did a phenomenal job bringing the characters to life in this dual POV story.

You’ll love this book if you like:
Enemies to Lovers
Brooding MMC
Witty Banter
Blood Vows
Slow Burn
Forbidden Love
Soft Side For Her
Fated Mates

This was my first of Amanda Aggie’s and I immediately fell in love. I can’t wait for book 2 of Death & Starlight.

Thanks to Amanda Aggie and Netgalley for the ARC of the audiobook version of this story.
#AFatedVow #Netgalley #OfDeath&Starlight #AmandaAggie #LilaWinters #EMWylde

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the opportunity to listen in exchange for an honest review. Slight spoilers ahead so tread with caution!
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Wow! I really did not expect that! I thought it was brilliant! A little long winded in places and that’s why I’ve dropped it a star. And I was a little dubious about the stone gargoyles being the keeps staff coming back to life… But gosh what a story!

I loved the whole star crossed lovers, fated mates vibe. I loved the ending, it’s an against all odds, I’ll be a better man for you I swear it… but just not right now. And making people die to get what he wants with just a click of his fingers 🫠

Brilliant! I hope there’s going to be a second book as I’d love to listen to more of Valeria & Asmo’s story!

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

📖 A Fated Vow
🧚‍♀️Amanda Aggie
📚 Death & Starlight #1
🗣️📜 Lila Winters, E.M. Wylde

✨ A Fated Vow ✨ is the first book in a semi dark, beautifully enticing fantasy romance series with the following TROPES:
🧝🏻‍♀️ Dual Narration
🖤 Semi Dark Romantasy
🧝🏻‍♀️ Demons, Elves , Fae, Witches and Gargoyles
🖤 Enemies-to-lovers
🧝🏻‍♀️ Slow Burn
🖤 Banter
🧝🏻‍♀️ Sassy FMC
🖤 Brooding morally Grey MMC
🧝🏻‍♀️ Hidden Identity
🖤 Spicyy
🧝🏻‍♀️ Fated Mates
🖤 She $tabs him 😏
🧝🏻‍♀️ Ends in Cliffhanger


This book took me my surprise, in the best possible way !
I was going in blind and ended up devouring it !

The plot , the characters, the gargoyles!!! Wow!
And the romance !!!..
The slow burn was burning ❤️‍🔥 and the spice was spicingggg 🥵

The narrators Lila Winters and E.M. Wylde werr wonderful and they brought the story to life in the most incredible way ! An absolutely stunning production by Tantor media 😍😍

The story ended in a Cliffhanger and I need the next book so badly!!! 😭


Thank you so much Netgalley and Tantor media for this amazing ALC in exchange for an honest review 💜

I actually really loved this book which sucks because now I’m stuck waiting for the sequel but I guess that’s not so bad!!

"𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒏𝒐 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒆 𝒔𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒊𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒂𝒚. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒏𝒐𝒘, 𝑰’𝒍𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒓."

In A Fated Vow, two enemies are bound together by fate and forced into an uneasy alliance. She is a fierce warrior and a dutches of her people; he is the prince of the enemy kingdom. As war threatens to destroy everything they know, they are pushed into a reluctant partnership, sworn to protect each other. What begins as distrust slowly shifts into loyalty, tenderness, and forbidden love, all while the world around them demands they stay apart.

I absolutely loved this book! It felt like stepping into a cozy fantasy world with rich friendships and a slow-burn romance that tugged at my heart. The forbidden love story, two souls born to be enemies, forced into an alliance, and ultimately falling for each other; was beautifully written. The friendships were just as heartwarming as the romance, making the world feel alive and real. I was completely hooked from start to finish!

I stopped listening. I feel it is way to much like Lightlark and thats all i kept thinking about while trying to listen.

Lila Winters and E.M. Wylde do a lot of great work to bring this novel to life. A Fated Vow is a quick read, but lacks the world building to really bring the novel to life. The romance is fun and I buy the chemistry. I had a fine time, I was simply never really invested at any point in the story. This would be a great light fantasy to dip your toe into things if this is not your normal genre and I highly recommend doing the audio version as they add a lot of charm and humor.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the alc in exchange for an honest review!

This book was fine. Not bad, not amazing but just okay. It’s being pitched as a cozy fantasy, and I need to say up front that it is not cozy fantasy! Yes, there are moments of humor and flirtation, but the world is dangerous, the stakes are high, and it ends on a cliffhanger. That’s not cozy! That’s romantasy with high stakes, and the marketing does the book a disservice by calling it anything else.

That said, I did enjoy parts of it. The dynamic between Valeria and Asmodeus gave me the classic enemies to lovers tension, even if some of their deeper emotional connection felt underdeveloped. The worldbuilding was a bit confusing, (probably because this series seems heavily tied to another one that doesn’t appear to mentioned in marketing anywhere, I only found out by reading other reviews!). It felt like we were dropped into the middle of a story with a lot of assumed knowledge.

As far as the audiobook goes, the narration was solid overall. Lila Winters gave a great performance and really captured Valeria’s voice and personality. E.M. Wylde as Asmodeus had a good tone, but leaned a little too far into gravelly bedroom tone territory for me during many non intimidate scenes. Still, both narrators had strong delivery and kept me listening.

But my absolute favorite part of the book, involves gargoyles. I have to mention the stone gargoyle twerking scene. (You read that right. Twerking. 😂 at a ball!) I had to pause the audiobook because I was laughing so hard. The line: “I turn my head sideways, watching the gargoyle’s carved butt jerk up and down so fast the stone nearly blurs” had me in actual tears. It’s one of the most ridiculous and unexpected lines I’ve heard in a fantasy book, and I kind of loved it for that.

But overall not my favorite romantasy, but not one I regret picking up either. I might check out the sequel just to see where it goes, but I’ll go in with adjusted expectations this time as I went into this one expecting a comical cozy fantasy based on the blurb and marketing.

Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for sending this ALC for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Pub date is listed for May 20, 2025.

Oh my goodness, *A Fated Vow* by Amanda Aggie has stolen my heart completely! 💖✨ It’s a lush, intoxicating dance of enemies and lovers, woven with magic, mystery, and a touch of darkness that keeps you spellbound from start to finish. 🌙🖤

Our brave elf girl, destined to inherit the shimmering Elven Islands 🏝️, finds her world turned upside down when she’s forced into a marriage with Vanderlyth’s most notorious sack of potatoes 🥔—a union that feels more like a storm on the horizon than a promise of love. Then, in a cruel twist, she’s cast away, presumed lost at sea, only to wash ashore on foreign sands, her soul still shimmering from the waves. 🌊✨

But the greatest surprises await her in the shadows—where a hauntingly brooding demon lord with scars like secrets and a gaze that burns like midnight appears. 🔥🖤 His presence is both terrifying and alluring—a dark, dangerous melody that calls to her heart, refusing to let go. He’s no knight in shining armor, yet somehow, his torment and power sing a siren song she cannot resist. 🧟‍♂️💫

Their sparks fly amid whispers of danger and desire, a slow burn that teeters on the edge of chaos and passion. The tension crackles like lightning, pulling you deeper into their tangled world, where love blooms fierce and unyielding amidst shadows. 🌌💕

If you yearn for a story that stirs your soul with every page—one filled with fierce heroines, dangerous heroes, and a romance that lingers like a sweet, forbidden secret—then *A Fated Vow* is your perfect escape. I’m utterly enchanted and giving it four shimmering stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Amanda Aggie’s magic is simply irresistible! ✨💕

Happy reading, my lovelies—may your hearts soar as high as the stars! 💕📚