Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

The Fallen & The Kiss of Dusk delivers a compelling romance at its core, with the chemistry between the two main characters easily being the highlight of the story. Their connection feels genuine and continues to grow in interesting ways and offers genuine emotional depth.

That said, the plot structure felt overly familiar at times. The story leans once again on a recurring quest-like objective that closely mirrors the setup from the first book. While this helps drive the narrative forward, it makes parts of the journey feel repetitive rather than fresh. After reading Carissa's War of Lost Hearts, I always expect perfection, and sadl,y this just didn't hit like it normally does.

What an absolutely fantastic end to this duology! This book had me on tenterhooks the whole way though! The stakes have never been higher! Now, I LOVED Raihn and Oreya, but Miche has fast become my main leading lady! This book is my favourite of the series so far.

Straight from the start all the way to the finish there was non stop action. Asar is the fictional MMC that all MMCs aspire to be as he is willing to destroy everything to save Miche. And if anyone dares harm her? Well, they had better not cross him. Or he will gladly hunt them down anyway 😏

This book had me through a rollercoaster of emotions, and by the end I was a sobbing mess. The journey that the MCs took physically and mentally was absolutely beautiful but also heartbreaking. There were points where I just wanted to give them a hug 🥺

I am really enjoying the direction that Carissa is taking with this series, and I cannot wait to read the next book, and be introduced to the next couple. The lore of all the gods is so intricately detailed and I’ve found that I want to get to know them more and more. I really hope that there is a heavy presence of them again in the next couple of books. (Please write some novellas on the gods, thank you)

I will forever recommend these books to everyone, and I cannot wait to be emotionally destroyed again with the next book!

Thank you so much to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adore The Crown of Nyaxia series and was desperate to read The Fallen and The Kiss of Dusk with it’s continuation of Asar and Mische’s story. After the ending of The Songbird and The Heart of Stone, I had been pining to find out what happened to them and this conclusion of the Shadowborn Duet was everything and more that I hoped for. Once again Carissa Broadbent stepped up to the fray, weaving this beautiful tapestry together to introduce the next chapter in The Crowns of Nyaxia series, without dropping a single thread from from the previous books in the series and most importantly Asar and Mische’s duet.

A little personal honesty here, this is a book that I’m never going to forget and it will always be intertwined with the loss of my wonderful Mam, who died during the readalong. Sitting by her bedside, we read this book together, as she had borrowed and loved the previous books in the series. Thank you so much Carissa Broadbent for transporting us to another world and giving us a final chance to share the love of reading, stories and imagination, and for your writing that appeals to readers of all ages and backgrounds.

Picking up from Mische’s self-sacrifice to save those she loves and the resulting darkness that the world was plunged into, we find Asar imprisoned by the Gods as they decide his future but, nothing will prevent Asar from his determination to be reunited with Mische, their redemption, and retribution against the gods. Asar takes the mantle offered by a goddess that will give him the chance to save Mische and those they love, knowing that the journey will be perilous with no guarantee of success. Thus begins their journey to gain ascension to divinity for Asar, which he believes will save Mische and those they love.

I’ve waxed lyrical before about how wonderful Carissa Broadbent’s writing is but, once again I was amazed and transported by her world-building and how beautifully the fantasy elements were woven into this story. From Mische’s journey through the underworld, to Asar and Mische’s reunion above and below, and the events that were taking place simultaneously across these and the kingdom of the ‘divine’ gods, the craftwork was elegant, imaginative, expressive and truly engrossing.

And of course I must mention the re-introduction of previously beloved characters, all of whom brought their ‘A’ game to the story, as well as Luce – there has never even been such a ‘goodest girl’, and this is from me, who you should know by now has 2 of the ‘goodest girls’ Sparkle and Gertrude!

Whilst I am truly at a loss having finished this book, I have no regrets. I had a final chance to share it with one of the most important people in my life. With my Mam, we delighted in the sheer strength of love and adoration between Mische and Asar. Their arc was truly one to witness as they continued to grow and develop both as individuals and as a couple. They faced their own internal and external demons, they overcame all challenges and challengers, and at no point did it ever feel preachy or insta! In fact, their relationship is actually one of the most believable and real that I’ve read, which makes them even more understandable and relatable.

If you haven’t picked up The Crowns of Nyaxia series, this is your instruction to do so. Both of the duets so far are amazing and I seriously cannot wait for the next duet in the series, even if I will be picking it up with a lump in my throat because my Mam won’t be around to share it with!

I only picked up this sequel to see if it would improve on The Songbird and the Heart of Stone – and it was definitely better, yet not without its flaws. The beginning of The Fallen and the Kiss of Dust felt more dynamic and engaging than the previous book, and the return of some familiar, well-loved characters pulled me in quite quickly.
But after about 40% the pacing started to feel really bizarre. While there were some genuinely lovely scenes – like Mische’s reunion with Raihn – we quickly slipped back into the same patterns that frustrated me in the first book. A lot was technically happening, but the plot once again took on that repetitive "quest/artifact-hunt" vibe, which made it feel tiresome. What especially pained me was how the rush to push the story forward left very little room for meaningful interaction between the main characters. As a result, I once again struggled to believe in the central love story between Mische and Asar. The fact that the romance in this duology gave me absolutely nothing is probably the biggest reason I couldn’t connect with the conclusion of Mische and Asar’s story. If it weren’t for the characters from the previous duology playing a more prominent role in this sequel, I’d probably have rated it as low as the first book.

Mische herself – or more accurately, her character development – was especially disappointing in this book. She just didn’t feel like herself. Gone was the quirky, vibrant spark that made her so engaging. Instead, she came across as flat, and her interactions lacked depth and energy. I won’t go into spoilers, but I’ll just say that I understand her transformation has some grounding in the plot. Still, that doesn’t change the fact that the character was stripped of her most compelling traits – and from a reader’s perspective, that’s simply disappointing.

I’m really conflicted about whether I want to continue with the series – the final duet will focus on the House of Blood. On one hand, Septimus is one of my favorite characters, and I’d love to see him in a well-developed romantic arc. On the other hand, this duology nearly pushed me into a reading slump, and I’m not eager to repeat that experience. So, I’m honestly unsure where I stand when it comes to this author’s future works.

All in all, I’m not a huge fan, but if you enjoyed the beginning of Mische and Asar’s story, you should definitely give this one a try – there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy it too.

Thank you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Fallen & the Kiss of Dusk isn't out until August so we are bringing some early hype but honestly, if you loved Songbird, you'll be wanting to pick this up as soon as you can.

Fallen picks up right after Songbird - you dont forget THAT ending right? It continues the story of Mische and Asar and it's just perfect, I loved every second with these two. The tension is high with them, they're adorable and just made for each other. And they've got Luce who also gets in on the descriptive action - I felt every nose bump and leg rub - the true hero of this 'duology'.

This book is chock full of quests and action, we were all at risk of whiplash with how quickly it stomps through the story and we get some visits from faves of the first books which was awesome and served to weave more dimensions into the characters and world.

Broadbent is a master and I will read anything she writes. I enjoyed Songbird but it has nothing on Fallen. Fallen really delved into her characters physically and emotionally, the narrative was cinematic and at times almost painful to read - or put down tbh. I was invested and it has left me with a bit of a book hangover and nervous for the next book in the series.

I was shocked and absolutely thrilled to receive an ARC of The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk! As a huge fan of Carissa Broadbent and the Crowns of Nyaxia series, I dove in immediately and I wasn’t disappointed.

From the very first page, the story plunged me into a dark, chaotic, and beautifully dangerous underworld. Following Mische and Asar was an intense ride, and seeing familiar faces like Oraya and Raihn again felt like a bittersweet reunion. The tone was gritty and emotionally charged, perfectly capturing the high stakes atmosphere we've come to expect from Broadbent’s world.

What I truly loved about Mische and Asar’s journey was how evenly matched they were, neither outshines the other. Instead, they lean into each other’s strengths and vulnerabilities. Their relationship isn’t built on dominance or dramatic power shifts, but mutual respect, love, and a shared struggle to overcome their own self-destructive tendencies. Watching them grow both individually and together was deeply satisfying.

While the plot was undeniably chaotic at times (especially in the earlier chapters), everything started to click around the 70% mark. From there, the pacing sharpened, the threads began to weave together, and I found myself obsessing over what might come next.
Fans of the Crowns of Nyaxia series will feel right at home here, and newcomers are in for an emotionally rich, darkly enchanting tale. Carissa Broadbent continues to prove why she’s one of the best voices in fantasy romance right now.

First off, thank you Pan MacMillan and NetGalley for an arc of this book!! I almost cried when I received it.

I continue to love Carissa Broadbent’s writing. I loved the continuation of Mische and Asar’s story. The love the two of them have for each other- they both would rip apart the world and the afterworld for each other. I loved seeing the development of Mische’s character in this story. She becomes more strong and confident in herself!

Also I loved seeing the cameos of other characters from the other Crowns of Nyaxia stories.

There was so many times where I was like what has just happened?? I laughed and cried. The ending was a perfect way to conclude their duology.

Also the epilogue has me really excited for the final duology

There is no way to describe how Carissa Broadbent’s books make my soul sing. The way she writes it’s so lyrical and poetic that you get lost in between the pages and you savour the book word by word. I’m usually a super fast reader, but I found myself going back and re-reading pages over and over again to fully savour and experience the beautiful world she built. This book was incredible, the characters development was complex and the world building was astounding. I can close my eyes and literally see the world she built and the characters she described in my head. I love how the story brought everything to a kind of resolution, leaving it open for a book 5 to continue. Absolutely wonderful.

4.5⭐️
After Reading The Songbird and the Heart of stone, and still not being over that ending! I was so excited to continue in this series and The Fallen & The Kiss of Dusk definitely delivered.

I am obsessed with how Carissa Broadbent can make everything feel so lush and emotionally intense. She just excels at writing tension, whether it’s romantic, political, emotional, it’s all executed perfectly! The vibes were immaculately dark, angsty, and totally addictive.

The worldbuilding felt deeper this time around as we got a deeper dive into the dynamics between the gods, and the stakes were considerably higher than we felt in the first half of this duology. I was holding my breath during several scenes.

In terms of our main characters, they are complicated, flawed, self deprecating and yet so easy to root for, and I truly fell in love with them and their relationship.

I loved being reunited with some familiar faces in this one and several scenes had me feeling a lump in my throat - the found family aspects are perfection!

Fans of enemies-to-lovers, vampire lore with fresh twists, and immersive fantasy worlds will adore this addition to the series and conclusion to Mische’s story. It left me eagerly anticipating what’s next, especially with the crumbs hinting who we will be following next, and emotionally wrecked in the best way.

I have been looking forward to this book ever since the heartbreaking cliffhanger of The Songbird and the Heart of Stone and wow it did not disappoint. Carissa has this way of pulling you in from the very first line and not letting you go until the final word and this is why she is one of my favourite authors and I will always love the worlds and characters she creates.

The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk is a lot faster paced than the first book and straight from the start you are thrown into the action and it doesn't stop, there is continuous world building and plot development throughout that is so vivid and detailed that makes it so easy to visualise. We get to learn more about the history between the gods and we also get some cameos from well loved characters that I really enjoyed seeing.

Mische and Asar's story is heartbreaking and soul aching and for two characters who have only ever thought of themselves to be sacrifices to see their character growth from book one to the conclusion of their story was so beautiful, be prepared for they both go through so much in this book and you are just praying for them to get their happy ending.

For me this was the perfect conclusion to Mische and Asar's story and the epilogue has me excited to see what's to come next.

Thank you so much to Publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book before publication, these are my honest thoughts and opinions.

What an amazing end to this incredible duology. Carissa Broadbent does it again with her ability to transport you to another world. The world she had created in this series is excellent, fully formed without being bogged down with heavy worldbuilding. It was like coming home being with Asar and Mische again.

What to expect :
🩸 Vampires, humans and wraiths
⚔️ Politics and War
🩸 Quests
⚔️ Dog companion
🩸 Romance with yearning
⚔️ Vengeful Gods

It was so good to explore more of Obitraes in this book, we see more of the Underworld, the Deadlands, a very brief glimpse of the House of Blood, The House of Shadow of course and we even get to go back to our beloved House of Night. It was so nice to be reunited with some of the characters from previous books. I do recommend reading Slaying the Vampire Conquerer before starting this one as some of these characters appear in this one.

After an explosive ending from the last book Songbird we start directly as we left off, Mische has killed a God and she herself has died 💔
This book packs and emotional punch and I loved the interludes which took us back to Asars childhood, giving us more of an insight into his past.
This book is all about flaws, how vulnerable mortality is and how imperfect decisions are made that have horrific consequences, but it's about how you recover from that, that you try to find a way to fix those mistakes.

I honestly can't wait to read the next duology. I know it's going to be explosive. Septimus has slunk his way into every book so far and I'm so intrigued by his character arc.

If you're on the fence in whether to start this epic universe that Carissa has created, I would 100% day it's worth it. The world's are complex but the writing is easy to read and worldbuilding easy to understand. Great for people new to the fantasy genre.

Thank you BookBreak and Bramble for an early review copy to read and review. I also had a great time on the readalong so thank you for having me!

Carissa Broadbent never fails to miss the mark with her releases ! This again was an incredible story and end to misches duology and it was just filled with non stop action, twists and fast paced scenes it was unputtdownable . I always fall in love with how beautiful Carissa writes and i definitely think asar and mische are incredible together as a whole ! I cannot wait to see what’s in store for the final duology ! Plus I loved how we got to see characters from other books in this one it was a nice suprise ! The character growth in this was unmatched , seeing mische explore the darker parts of herself and not being afraid of them was INCREDIBLE and her and Asar just went through so much this entire book but still remain STRONG !

Thank you pan macmillian /bookbreak for an arc of one of my most anticipated releases ever !!

This was so disappointing for me. In fact book one and two just had lots of nothing in it. I ADORED the first two books in this series so when I saw the companion series, I was stoked. But this duology just fell flat.
The pacing was off, there wasn’t enough to keep me hooked and I just didn’t care about anyone.
The main issue was there was little to no plot and the world was so hard to get back into. I found some of it very repetitive and not enough of their own story which was tricky to read. I also couldn’t stand mische as a character. Sadly, I was disappointed with the story, but added another star for Carissa’s writing because this is something I do love.

Okay, but what do I do from now till the next book?🥲

Can’t believe I’m done with Mische and Asar’s books.. it’s such a bittersweet feeling, as I really came to adore them so much.

The ending of the last book was so brutal and the wait has truly felt torturous. This picks up pretty well after that book, and I loved that we got to see more of other characters (hint: Raihn and Oraya).

This book definitely felt more plot driven than character driven. While there was a lot of plot happening in the previous book, it still felt so character driven in getting to know both Mische and Asar.

I must admit that this book had me a bit lost at times. The book is quite lengthy, and while the writing makes it super engaging, I felt lost in the plot at times? I felt like so much was going on, I had some trouble imagining it all. I felt almost like Carissa was so into it, she forgot to consider if the reader was as well? Now, my confusion may also be because it’s been a while since I read the last book, and my memory is terrible. I’d be curious to hear opinions from some who went straight from the last book into this.

On the whole, I enjoyed the book and just really love this whole world. I think it’s brilliant how Carissa writes duologies within a longer series. It works SO well. Felt a bit lost at times, and didn’t feel as deep of a connection to the story and characters in this one as I did the previous book.

Firstly, thank you to the publisher for giving me a copy to review!

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this one pretty early on, I honestly love Carissa and this series, but I have to say I felt such a disconnect with the characters, even more so in this one than the previous one, which I did struggle to read. I'm not sure if maybe this type of love story was just not for me, and I preferred the first two books in this series more because that was more my trope?

I feel like the plot is kind of boring, in the previous book, we followed the characters on quests to find items, and we come into this one on yet another set of quests. It just feels repetitive and honestly, I expected this plot to be different and move along further in the story.

I want to give this one another chance in a few months as I really love Carissa's work, I just don't think this book was quite right for me at this time.

I have enjoyed all the books in the Crowns of Nyaxia series so far but I think this one might be my favourite. I really loved how everything was tied together and felt the plot development in this one was great. I'm really intrigued to see where this goes next with the next duology in this interwoven series. Highly recommend this book and the whole series to fans of romantasy!

“Funny, how l'd never experienced the sensation of the sun falling over my face. But every time, I was so certain that it must feel something like Mische's presence.“

Carissa Broadbent does it again. I’m obsessed with her world building, characters and imagery. There’s tension, yearning, and one hell of a fight for those you love no matter the cost.

“She looked at me with such abject, undeserved affection. It made me think of how a sunrise I'd never witnessed must feel.”

It’s high stakes, you meet some familiar characters and I didn’t want to end. Read it, read it, read it.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for the arc!

Jaw on the FLOOR this was so good. All my faves coming back together, Atrius and Sylina!!! Are you kidding me. Carissa ate and left no crumbs with this one

[ARC provided by NetGalley and Tor Bramble. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk.]

Rating: 4.25/5

It’s official, Asar and Mische have stolen my heart! The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk delivered everything I’d hoped for, beautifully tying together story threads while introducing new developments that promise to unfold in the next instalment. While The Serpent and the Wings of Night still holds the top spot as my favourite in the series, the Shadowborn Duet feels more cohesive overall, and it’s left me even more eager to dive into the Bloodborn duet.

This book picks up pretty much where we left off. Mische has sacrificed herself to save those she loves, casting the world into eternal night, while Asar has been imprisoned by the gods as they deliberate his fate. Consumed by a thirst for vengeance, he’ll stop at nothing to be reunited with Mische. So, when a goddess offers them a chance at redemption, the two set out on a perilous journey to seize the power of the god of death so that Asar can ascend to divinity.

As always, Carissa Broadbent proves she knows exactly how to write an exceptional romantasy. This book is packed with beloved tropes that will have any fan of the genre grinning and kicking their feet in delight; I certainly was when a few of my favourites appeared. But for me, the real standout is the strength of the fantasy elements. Broadbent has built a world so rich and intricate that it’s impossible not to be completely drawn in. The divinities, in particular, are fascinating, and I adore every scene that explores their lore further. I can’t wait to see how this continues to unfold in the next instalment.

This series also features a cast of truly strong characters, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching Mische and Asar come into their own in this book. Mische has always struck me as a figure of immense strength, but witnessing her learn to balance her shadows with her light was especially rewarding. Asar, too, undergoes compelling development, gradually confronting and overcoming the painful internalisations that have shaped him over time. While it might be tempting to reduce them to a simple grumpy/sunshine dynamic, they are far more nuanced than that, and their romance is ultimately powerful, moving, and entirely believable.

Also, shoutout to the familiar faces we see in this book! If you haven’t read the Nyaxia stories outside of the main series then I STRONGLY urge you to reconsider that before diving into this book. I’m absolutely loving seeing these storylines come together and hope we see more of that in the next duet.

Now that the Shadowborn Duet has come to a close, I’m sad to be seeing the spotlight shift away from Mische and Asar. BUT! Oh my days, I’m ridiculously excited to see where the Bloodborn Duet will take us. It’s fairly obvious who the next story will follow (and I’m pretty sure Carissa has confirmed it), and I can already tell it’s going to be gloriously chaotic. I can’t wait!

What a journey this book has been!
It picks up straight where it left off which I really appreciated
I feel that we got to learn so much more about Asar and Mische in this book, their relationship is at the very heart of the story and the reason for everything that happens
There are a lot of politics and intrigue in the plot which we haven’t seen the end of yet. I enjoyed learning about different houses and how they work as well as revisiting old characters
The ending has left me wanting more and I’m excited to see what happens next