Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for my arc, I really appreciate it.

This is the first book I've read by Grace Draven but I enjoyed this so much I'll definitely be reading more.

What really made this book for me was the flashbacks. Here they added so much to the narrative. They were so emotional. Honestly it made me so happy reading them. You were able to experience first-hand when Disaris and Bron first met as children, then in turn when they became best friends and then lovers. It made the book so much more immersive, I was desperate for them to have their happy ever after.

The plot was fast moving and I was gripped until the end. In fact I didn't want it to end, I wanted to spend more time with these characters and in this world.

Quote: “The moon rises, and a star waits.”

Thank you grace_draven, NetGalley and @panmacmillan for this eARC 🫶🏻

I kinda went into this book blind but immediately fell in love with the story. It follows Disaris and Bron - a strong willed, opinionated and outgoing girl who befriends a shy, withdrawn and somewhat awkward boy. This is definitely a childhood best friends x lovers trope and tbh maybe I need to read more of because it was sooo emotionally devastating.

The book starts off as showing us how the two, as adults are estranged and on opposite sides of a war. But then soon after, the book flits between flashbacks of Disaris and Bron’s childhood from how they became best friends, to navigating adolescence and adulthood amidst a war. There’s definitely a theme of ‘coming of age’ in this book as well as duty and obligation.

The two are near inseparable as children growing up, right from the moment that Disaris sets eyes on Bron. I loved her persistence, she was NOT taking no for an answer when it came to catching frogs with her new best friend 🤣 their friendship grows into something more as they reach adulthood. I really felt each of their almost desperate love for each other 🥺

But, they’re torn apart through war and duty when Bron is discovered to have magic leading to his enrolment as a battle mage in the Daesin Army as a teenager. Though he returns to their village on ‘leave’, the time between his return grows longer each time and much changes in that time.

It’s in these times that we learn how the two of them became estranged with Disaris married to the enemy (the Daggermen) with magic of her own which is sought to be exploited by both sides of the war.

Disaris has her reasons and secrets though… but I was still screaming at her to just TELL Bron about what happened and why!!!

Of course when Bron finally learns the truth, their romantic reunion is sooo good and well worth the wait 🤌🏻💋

A really enjoyable read - I’d be eager to read more from this author and will highly recommend to others.