He keeps pushing me away. But why do his striking blue eyes say otherwise?

Clara Valenwood thought her new life in the city would finally begin, but everything changes when she receives a mysterious heirloom from her father and a strange map from a dying patient. Soon after, nightmares of a dark and distant world slip into her waking hours.

When an attack pulls her through a portal into the fae realm, Clara meets Ashael, a stoic yet dangerously irresistible warrior fighting against a corrupted queen. Desperate to find a way home, Clara is drawn into the rebellion and discovers that her heirloom holds the key to locating a long-lost artifact capable of saving both realms.

With danger closing in, Clara must face deadly trials alongside Ashael. But just as his walls begin to crack, she confronts a truth she never expected. Home may no longer be where she thought it was.

Additional Info:

1. Tropes / Themes: Portal fantasy; Slow-burn romance; Found family; Adventure; Indiana Jones–style quests; Clean romance

2. Target Audience / Age Range: Crossover YA–Adult

3. Content / Trigger Warnings: (Moderate) Death, Dementia, Injury, Violence; (Mild) Cancer, Medical content, Sexism

4. Story Notes: Cliffhanger ending

5. Explicit Content / Spice Level: Clean / No sexual content

6. Pacing: Medium (first half slower, second half faster)

Author's Note:

Hello! I’m S.J. Kadile. I’m so glad you’re here. I hope this story brings you wonder, joy, and a little magic. Writing it was my own escape during a difficult period, blending the fantasy worlds I adored as a child with experiences and lessons of adulthood. Thank you for checking out my book!