I can give no less than five stars for a book that ripped my heart to shreds repeatedly and then put it back together in the most beautiful, heart wrenching way. Mische and Asar are so different from Oraya and Raihn, and I love how that is embraced in these two books. There was a new twist in every section… and the return of a certain deceased Nightborn king… fabulous! The world building continues to expand with insight into the gods and human kingdoms as well as now the House of Blood, the characters are perfectly imperfect, and the romance is spice is top tier as usual. Carissa Broadbent truly writes perfection every single time.

Carissa Broadbent one of my auto buy authors. I've read and loved every single book she's written, The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk included.
Carissa knows how to put readers through emotional turmoil.
Her writing style is spectacular - the world building spot on so you really feel like you're there with Mische and Asar.
My full review will be posted on my Instagram once released with no spoilers.

Carissa Broadbent is an auto-read and this did not disappoint. Every time she writes, I fall more in love with the world and the characters. Everything about the plot, the romance, and character development is perfect. I can't wait for the next book in this world.

ARC review
Release date: 05 August

“The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk” is part of the “Crowns of Nyaxia” series.
It is recommended to read the other books in the series before to better understand the story.

Thank you Pan Macmillan for the advance digital copy of the book.
The opinions from this review are completely my own.

The book continues after the end of “The Songbird & the Heart of Stone”.
If in the previous book we had more about Mische’s story and only her POV, now we have more information about Asar’s past and the story is told in dual POV.
There are also characters from the other books that appear in this story so it is important to read them before. I don’t want to spoil and name them, but they helped the story.

This is a book full of action, twists and great character development (especially for Mische).
It is a bit long and in some parts I got a bit overwhelmed. Also, please check the content warnings, as it is pretty dark.

It is a good ending for this part of the series and I’m looking forward to the next duet.

What a great end to Mische and Asar's chapters in this world! The romance was beautiful to read and I loved the appearance of other known characters in this world. The ending was intense and has left off with some interesting openings for Nyaxia 5!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for approving me to read this book, I’m rating it 4.0 stars.

I love coming back to this world each time, the characters remain unmatched. We really pick up in the thick of it in this book, war is on the horizon and it’s looking pretty bleak. Gods, vampires and humans are heading for a collision it seems most won’t survive.

I really enjoyed some characters from previous books making a much needed appearance, it felt kind of nostalgic. The connections in this book take a real beating and the sacrifice is so heart breaking, but each twist progresses the story along at a decent pace.

The romance is as always such a good touch, I have really come to adore the characters of this book. Mische and Asar have been on a hell of a journey and here’s hoping there’s more to see of them.

This is why Carissa Broadbent will always be an auto-read author, because WOW did this book deliver. Continuing Mische and Asar’s journey was everything I hoped for and more. It unfolded in ways that were so unexpected, yet felt so perfect. Both characters went through their own personal trials, but the way they consistently supported and uplifted each other had my heart in a choke hold. Their bond is everything, and let’s just say… Asar “Get your hands off my wife” Voldari just got even hotter. What. A. MAN.

The plot was packed with twists I truly didn’t see coming. The pacing was well balanced, the tension was PALPABLE, and the emotional beats hit so well. I love these characters so much, and the chemistry—hot damn—was to DIE FOR. But what made this book really shine for me were the smaller moments woven throughout. Mische’s nervous rambling and her unexpected dynamic with Vincent had me cackling. Watching her win over this 300 year old grumpy vampire and become like a second daughter to him was so wholesome. And the bit of closure we got with Vincent and Oraya? I didn’t realise how much I needed that.

I also adored the cameos of characters from earlier books, it felt like all the threads of this world were starting to come together. Seeing more of Rhain (Thank you Carissa) and getting more insight into his friendship with Mische made my heart so so happy. I love strong friendships that show the power of platonic love. Also, him giving Asar the grumpy dad treatment? Perfection.

The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk was filled with heart, banter, unmatched chemistry, and high stakes. If you're already invested in this world, this book will not disappoint. Carissa Broadbent has once again proven she knows how to balance intensity, romance, and richly layered storytelling like no other.

ps: Luce really is the BESTEST girl.

This book sadly has similar problems as the second in the first duology. Maybe Carissa should stick to trilogies as I always feel like there is too much happening and nothing gets enough attention in the second books. I enjoyed it and think anybody who liked the first book should read it. And I will say I liked it more than Ashes, still a bit of a let down after I enjoyed songbird so much. I had a good time but I read songbird in one sitting and could not put it down and this book took me over a week.
The book is double POV

Pros:
- I love the world and the worldbuilding, there is a very solid foundation for the third duology and I have a suspition who the FMC will be. I will definitely be reading the next duology cause I need to know what happens (small hints in epilogue)
- I like Carissas writing, the chapter length, the interludes it was all very well done
- there is a short part of the book that reads a bit like "this is how you lose the time war" and I thought it was nice and could have been longer
- Mische and Asar as characters have a strong foundation and I really enjoyed how we see them grow

Cons:
- let me start with Vincent. We ended with such a huge cliff hanger and while I understand that the book was not about him, it felt like a really poor attempt to give him redemption. I am sad because I loved Vincent and feel like this should have played out very differently
- the relationship between Mische and Asar was kinda flat, they desire each other, they bang each other and they say they love each other but all of the connection that I felt in the first book just was not there. The books starts with each of them saying that the other is the love of their life and for a vampire thats quite early? they didnt spend that much time together. I understand attraction and strong connection and maybe feeling like that could be more but that lost me. Also there was a "good girl" in there that made no sense to me and at this point is a personal ick cause every single author puts it in their spicy scenes. I also assumed that they would spend more time apart which just isnt the case
- known side characters were just dropped for the sake of dropping them? Did not really feel like there was a lot of impact by any of the side characters and the story could have happened the way it did perfectly without them
- gods and magic were a bit all over the place and I have so many questions. Honestly it felt all way too convenient and suddenly everybody knows how to use their powers without much struggle. When I read the blurb (and watched the fucking epic trailer !!!!) I thought this would focus a lot more on the gods and the fights and the war but it barely did. This might be because it just was not marketed properly but the actual war will then happen in the last duology

spoiler
<spoiler>- additional house out of nowhere, I dont know if we will get a logical explanation later but it just made very little sense especially cause I feel like it was barely foreshadowed? I checked the songbird book and could not find any mention of it though his mark is definitely the same. Also make it make sense why would he get that mark when Raoul dies but its a different mark? Was Raoul also the heir to the house of death? How does that correlation make sense? And why could Mische just get one by being touched? That just makes no sense at all <spoiler>

Thanks to netgalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me with an ARC

The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk was everything I wanted in a finale: intense, romantic and absolutely heartbreaking in the best way.
Mische and Asar’s love story continues to shine with so much depth. It’s less about tension and more about enduring love, which felt refreshing. The world-building is rich, the drama is juicy, and the pacing kept me turning pages, even if parts of the quest felt a little familiar.
Mische’s journey is the highlight. It is raw, dark and full of growth. Carissa Broadbent writes emotional arcs so well, and this book is proof of that.
It’s not quite a perfect five stars, but it is a powerful and satisfying end to a duology I’ve completely fallen in love with. Highly recommend for fantasy romance fans and I personally can’t wait for more Carissa!

I’m so upset to be rating one of Carissa’s books so low, but this totally missed the mark for me unfortunately.
The pacing felt off, I usually read her books to get me out of a slump because even if they’re long they fly by, but it was not the case here. Also I felt so disconnected from the characters. We had left them on such a huge cliffhanger that I was so excited to see how it was going to develop. It’s so unfortunate because “songbird and the heart of stone” was my favorite book in the series so far and I had such high expectations. One thing I can say that I loved was Luce because she was the best character in this book.
I hope the next books will take me back to the same feelings I had for songbird, because i love this world.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

In the first book of this duology (The Songbird And The Heart Of Stone) I found it really difficult to get emotionally invested in our two main characters - despite having loved Mische in the Crowns Of Nyaxia duology.
However, I wanted to continue the series as I love Broadbents writing style and thoroughly enjoyed the Crowns of Nyaxia duology (one of my favourite reads of 2024).
After reading around 20% of this I have unfortunately came to the decision of DNFing. Life is too short to be reading books you are not 100% invested in.
As I said Broadbent has a beautiful writing style, she is able to paint incredible imagery with her poetic like style. But this series is not for me. I would 100% recommend this to anyone who enjoyed the Crowns of Nyaxia duology or The Songbird And The Heart Of Stone.

At this point I’m not even surprised by how much I absolutely ADORE this series. This was such an amazing end to the Shadowborn duet! I don’t even know how to get into it without giving away any spoilers, so let me just say: READ IT ASAP. And if you haven’t read the first book in this series yet, what are you even doing with your life?! Chop chop! 🤭

In seriousness though, Carissa is such a masterful storyteller and the way she’s been weaving all these books really came together in Fallen. We get to see so many beloved characters make a return and it was so soo good. And don’t even get me started on that ending 🫠

I can’t wait to see where she takes the series next, but I KNOW it will be incredible!!

Thank you to NetGalley and PanMacmillan/Tor Bramble for providing me with this beautiful arc 🫶🏻

I have been chomping at the bit to see how Mische and Asar’s story continues and what a story it was.

We were taken on an epic journey quest and introduced to so much information my brain struggled to take it in. I have no doubt that much of what Carissa has laid down in this book is definitely going to come up in the next t two.

I loved Mische’s development in this book. We see her very much come to terms with her past, to live in the present and dream of a future.

Asar has his own journey to go on but I felt that his was secondary to Mische’s. Their love story was beautiful and I loved the ending bringing to things together.

And I couldn’t forget my good girl Luce! What a superstar she is. I was worried that we wouldn’t see her but she is the ever faithful companion we all need.

Although I personally preferred the first book in this duology this one was still an epic adventure.

From all the books I’ve read of Carissa’s I know this is not the last we will see of these two and I’m glad. Their journey has perhaps been my favourite so far.

I absolutely loved falling back into the Crowns of Nyaxia series. I read both the shadowborn duet books back to back and although they’re an intense read, they’re so so good. I just loved Carissa’s writing and love fully immersing myself in the world!

The Fallen & the Kiss of Dusk made me ache. It made me pause mid-chapter just to breathe. It rebuilt me with trembling hands only to tear me apart again, lovingly, methodically, beautifully. Just what I'm used to when it comes to a work by Carissa Broadbent and I loved every second of it.

This sequel continues the Shadowborn Duet, and while The Songbird and the Heart of Stone was already devastating, this one is a different kind of wreckage: quieter, deeper, and far more dangerous. It feels like stepping into a realm where love is no longer a soft landing, it’s the battlefield itself.

Mische is not alive, not really. She exists in a shattered underworld, a place barely holding itself together, echoing with what’s left of her magic and memory. She’s raw, hurting, and still tethered to the man who would tear down the gods to find her. Mische is a masterpiece. She’s not a passive heroine. She’s not here to be rescued. Even shattered, she commands the page, smart, aching, and so profoundly human. Watching her fight for herself and for the world, even as the gods press in, was awe-inspiring.

Asar is unraveling. His grief is sharp, primal. But when a goddess offers him and Mische a way out, a quest toward godhood itself, they’re faced with a mission that could cost what little is left of their humanity. Reunited by pain, driven by purpose, and haunted by the love that destroyed them, they must decide if it’s possible to reclaim each other… or if the cost is already too great.

There’s something sacred about how Broadbent writes these two. It’s not about flirting or first kisses, it’s about shared silence, a haunted memory, a hand held in a moment that feels too brief. Their chemistry is heavy with history, and it burns. You feel every wound, every whispered regret, every ache of love that hasn’t been allowed to heal.

Broadbent’s world-building is lush and unnerving. The dead lands are crumbling, literally bleeding into oblivion. Every realm, every god, every ruin is alive with symbolism. It’s not just fantasy, it’s myth retold, dripping with consequence and even greater consequence.

Sacrifice. Obsession. Forgiveness. Power. This book doesn’t tiptoe around its themes, it embraces them with bloody hands. What happens when love curdles into something sharp? When grief becomes ambition? When saving someone you love means you may never be the same again? Like, I've said before many time, Broadbent is a master at writing these types of stories and she gives us all the right feels.

This isn’t a fast-paced book. It lingers. The action is powerful, but the real weight lies in the emotional undercurrent. If you need lightness or escape, this might feel too heavy. But if you want the kind of romantic fantasy that demands your heart, it’ll give you that and more. There are moments where the grief is so palpable it feels like another character. But that’s what makes it powerful. Nothing here is surface-level, not the love, not the pain, not the stakes.

On a side note, I loved how much this series continues connecting all the books and characters. I suffered quite a bit along with Oraya when Vincent died and to see him shining here, giving even more depth to his character, was amazing. I enjoyed the little sweet discreet moments of him with Oraya. We also get more of Raihn, and how we suffer along with him because of all the secrets between him and his best friend/sister Mische (Miss Broadbent at it again). Our very best girl is shining here again, like always she's so sweet and loyal, I love Luce. Also, Septimus! How he intrigues me since the first book in the series, I can't put to words how excited I am to reading his story next and see him be put in his place and become all flustered (if that's even possible) by another fantastic female lead.

By the ending, so much has happened and so much is yet to happen. I can't fully express how much I enjoy this series. I've said before, but it's one of my favorites of all time. I'm super excited for the next duology to see how much more Carissa will shine in her world-building and story-making, as well as how much more she will make us all suffer and heal only to suffer again and heal again, hahaha.

Finally, The Fallen & the Kiss of Dusk isn’t just a fantasy romance. It’s a reckoning. A love story that’s been shattered and reforged in flame. It’s about gods, ghosts and vampires, yes, but it’s also about what we do with our pain. About the way grief binds us. About how hope survives, stubborn and flickering, even when the world ends.

This book left me breathless.

For those who crave slow-burning devastation, god-tier emotional damage, and characters who love so hard it nearly breaks the world.

Thank you NetGalley, Pan Macmillan | Tor Bramble for providing and approving my ARC!

✨ RATING
- C (characters): 10/10
- A (atmosphere): 10/10
- W (writing): 10/10
- P (plot): 10/10
- I (intrigue): 10/10
- L (logic): 10/10
- E (enjoyment): 10/10
↬ TOTAL: 10.00 = ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

💦 SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

🔖 TROPES:
- Vampire romance
- Forced proximity
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Forbidden touch
- Angst
- Animal companion
- Broken hero and heroine
- Found Family
- Gods at war
- Epic quest
- "My wife"

⚠️ Trigger Warnings: grief, death of animals (on page), torture, war

I really enjoyed this next instalment in the Crowns of Nyaxia series. I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the third book but it was very good and wrapped up the current storyline well.

Once again, I absolutely love the characters. Mische and Asar are amazing and I love their romance. Luce is the absolute best. I also enjoyed seeing all of the other characters from the other books set in the same world and I'm interested to see how they will all come together again in future books.

The plot was very interesting. It was very dramatic and high-stakes. I enjoyed the epic quest, however the beginning half of the book dragged a bit. I felt like it could have been shorter. Though the second half of the book, I could not put down. I just kept wanting to read to find out what was going to happen.

I loved some of the plot twists. I didn't see quite a few of them coming. It continually kept me guessing. I loved the conclusion of the book (I won't give any spoilers). I liked the greater inclusion of the Gods and Goddesses.

I would highly recommend this book for romantasy fans. With how the book ended, I can't wait to see where this series goes next. This book will be released on 5th August so make sure you check it out.

Thanks to NetGalley, Carissa Broadbent, Pan Macmillan and Tor Bramble for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

What an ending to this duology! I absolutely adored the first set of books in this world and even more so the previous one in this instalment! The characters? Amazing. The plot? Chefs kiss. And the romance? Would sell my soul to read for the first time again. The tropes prevalent are some of my absolute die hard favourites and I will always trust Carissa Broadbent to do them right! I cannot wait to see what more Broadbent write in this world, until then I will be forever thinking about Mische and Asar!

Thank you Netgalley for this early copy. This was such an amazing conclusion to the story with some amazing character development! I cannot wait to go and pick up a physical copy of this

I was so happy to be approved for this ARC because it meant I could read both books back to back, which was perfect, considering how The Songbird and the Heart of Stone ended. This book is darker, more immersive, and much faster-paced than the first. From the very first chapter, the tension is high and the stakes are clear, and it just keeps building. I felt like I was constantly on edge, never getting a quiet moment to breathe, and I loved how it kept me on my toes the whole way through. The world expands in such vivid detail, and the setting, especially Morthryn, the Descent, and the Underworld, were some of the most beautiful and immersive I’ve ever read. I’m even more curious about the other houses and what’s still left to explore in Obitraes.
There was so much I loved about this story, from the deeper look into the gods’ histories to the cameos from familiar faces, that tied the series together in such an emotional way. Seeing how the whole world interconnects added so much depth, and it made me appreciate how everything is slowly coming together across the books. I was especially happy to see Raihn and Mische reunite; their friendship is loyal, fierce, and grounding, and so beautifully written. The storyline with Vincent was also incredibly emotional, and I loved that we got to see both him and Oraya finally get some closure.
This was the perfect ending to Mische and Asar’s story: emotional, intense, and deeply satisfying. I loved how their relationship was written. Their love isn’t just romance, it’s survival, healing, and a sense of home rebuilt from ruin. Every interaction carries the weight of their past, which makes their devotion feel real and fully earned. What moved me most was how, no matter what they went through, they always found their way back to each other. And let’s not forget Luce. That loyal, fuzzy little shadow beast completely stole my heart. She’s honestly one of my favourite animal companions ever written.
Carissa’s writing blends heartbreak and hope, high stakes and quiet moments, in a way that never feels overdone. Her stories are rich with emotion and have a rhythm that pulls you in and keeps you completely hooked until the end. I’ll always love the immersive, magical worlds and layered characters she creates. And that epilogue? I cannot wait to see what the House of Blood has in store for us.
Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the opportunity to read this book. All opinions are my own.

I just finished The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk and I honestly loved it. I’m four books deep into the Crowns of Nyaxia series now, and I’m still completely hooked — the world, the drama, the vibes? Obsessed.

This one follows Mische and Asar, and while I didn’t fall for them quite as hard as I did Oraya and Raihn (who will forever be top-tier), I really appreciated their journey. There’s some great character growth and emotional depth, and their dynamic definitely pulled me in more and more as the story went on.

I loved getting to explore different Houses this time — it gave the book a fresh feeling and really expanded the world. The trials were intense (maybe slightly repetitive if you’ve read the previous books), but still packed with action and tension. I will say the pacing dipped a little in the middle, but the last chunk had me completely locked in. And the ending? Emotional damage. Seeing some familiar faces again really brought it full circle.

Vincent’s arc especially hit hard — Oraya finally getting a moment of closure genuinely got me. This series continues to be such a standout in the romantasy space, and I cannot wait for Septimus’s book. I just know it’s going to ruin me in the best way.