Royal Captive (Fate of Eyrnthia #3) by Heather Frost -- Blog Tour Review + Excerpt

About the Book

A DECOY trapped in a dangerous lie
A SERJAH searching for the truth
A PRINCE caught in a deadly game
A WORLD choked by secrets

Abducted during a devastating ambush, Clare is now the captive of ruthless mercenaries. Dragged through the wilderness while grieving heart-rending loss, she must maintain the illusion that she is the princess. Because if she lets the mask slip, even for a moment, the Mortisians will have no reason to keep her alive.

After arresting traitors close to the crown, Desfan fights to rebuild his court, knowing that the imminent arrival of the Devendran princess will further upset the precarious balance in Mortise. But Desfan’s world is rocked when he discovers a rumor that rewrites the most devastating event in his life. He will stop at nothing to find the truth–no matter where it leads.

As Grayson struggles to find his footing in Mortise, he discovers new friends and enemies. His life is further complicated by the tenuous alliance with his spymaster brother. With secrets deepening around him, Grayson must decide where his loyalties truly lie. Through it all, his heart remains in Ryden with Mia. Unfortunately, his love for her is no secret, and the Black Hand is a coveted weapon . . .

Eyrinthia holds its breath as allies and enemies collide. Secrets. Lies. Betrayals. Nothing will be the same.

Royal Captive is book 3 in the Fate of Eyrinthia YA fantasy romance series, and should be read in order. If you like swoon-worthy romance, complex characters, and non-stop action with epic twists, then you’ll love the captivating world of Eyrinthia!

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Books in the Series

NEW TO EYRINTHIA? GET BOOK 1 FOR FREE DURING THE VIRTUAL TOUR!
 
Royal Decoy (Fate of Eyrinthia #1) is currently FREE on Kindle (U.S.)
Grab it HERE.
 
***The series is also available on Kindle Unlimited!***

Excerpt from Royal Captive...

Without quite knowing how it happened, Grayson walked the streets of Duvan with Imara on his arm and her bodyguard shadowing close behind.
There was an uncomfortable twist in his gut and his cheeks felt too warm, though that could have been from the Mortisian summer heat.
Cooking meats sizzled, spicing the air with an array of exotic peppers and spices. Men and women called out wares, children laughed and raced around the large market square, and those now-familiar purple flags fluttered everywhere. Music drifted among the stalls and some men and women sang, eager for every coin dropped in their cup.
“It’s more beautiful than I imagined,” Imara said, her eyes alight as she took everything in.
Grayson’s view of things was decidedly different. The square was overcrowded, chaotic, and far too loud. Assassins and thieves alike would thrive in such an environment. He kept his gaze moving over the continually shifting crowd.
Imara’s turquoise skirt swished against his leg as they walked, and she only released his arm when they reached a cart selling a variety of drinks. She chose one made from lemons and small red berries. She claimed it was tangy but sweet.
Grayson asked for water.
Imara watched him over the rim of her cup. “Are you sure you don’t want to try this?”
“I’m sure.” Just the smell made his mouth pinch.
She shrugged her narrow shoulders. She really was very short; her head barely reached his chest. After swallowing another sip, she said, “You’re quiet.”
“I don’t have anything to say.” Conversation was not a gift he possessed.
“That’s all right. I have a hundred questions! Now, let’s see . . . Is it true you made your first kill when you were three years old?”
Grayson choked on his water, coughing harshly as he whipped his head toward her. “What?”
“That’s how the story goes in Zennor,” she said easily. “The Black Viper learned the art of killing in the nursery—the way all Ryden children do—but he loved death more than the others. He killed his nursemaid when he was three and drank her blood, and he’s never gotten enough of the taste since.”
Grayson blinked at her. There were no words.
Her mouth twitched. “I’m assuming it’s not true, then?”
He finally managed to find his voice. “No.”
She bobbed her head. “After meeting you, I didn’t think it could be true. You’re not half as intimidating as your reputation.”
That didn’t exactly sound like a compliment.
Before he could make any response, Imara fired off her next question. “Is it true your mother has a poison garden?”
From the corner of his eye, he could see her bodyguard’s hand on his knife. It had probably gone there at her last question, though Grayson had been too busy choking to notice. “She does,” he confirmed.
“How interesting. My mother only embroiders.”
Grayson snorted.
Imara grinned. “There! The Black Viper can laugh. Another rumor, utterly wrecked.” 

About the Author

Heather Frost writes mostly YA fiction and has a soft spot for tortured characters, breath-stealing romance, and happy endings. She is the author of the Seers trilogy and the upcoming Fate of Eyrinithia series. She has a BS in Creative Writing and a minor in Folklore, which means she got to read fairy tales and ghost stories and call it homework. When she’s not writing, Heather likes to read, travel, and hold Lord of the Rings movie marathons. She owns two typewriters, sings in the car, and dreams of living in a castle someday. She currently lives in a beautiful valley surrounded by towering mountains in Utah. To learn more about Heather and her books, visit her website: www.HeatherFrost.com.

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Pre-order gift: The Captain and the Troublemakers

Pre-order ROYAL CAPTIVE (Fate of Eyrinthia #3) in any format, then fill out the form below to receive an exclusive short story: The CAPTAIN AND THE TROUBLEMAKERS.
 
About the Story:
When Wilf steps in for Bennick’s father during an important rite of passage at the military academy, he gets more than he bargained for. Eleven-year-old Bennick has a fight to pick with another student—a boy named Venn Grannard . . .
 
The story will be emailed to you after ROYAL CAPTIVE releases on March 18th. Here is the link to the form: https://forms.gle/nDubVYVaB7EPYRfh8
 
Thank you for pre-ordering!

Review

Author Heather Frost has written another captivating and enthralling story in her third book in the Fate of Eyrinthia series.  After leaving readers with a chaotic cliff hanger ending in book two, she continues the entrancing story in book three.  Secrets, lies, betrayal.  There is definitely a lot going on in this story, especially with it written from multiple points of view, but Frost ensures that readers can follow and understand what is going with all of the captivating characters by including character chapter headers.  This is a fast paced, action packed story that will have readers on the edge of their seats through the many plot twists in this epic tale.  Readers will definitely want to pick up this book!

Series:Fate of Eyrinthia
Genre: young adult, fantasy, romance
Publisher: Indie
Publication date: March 18, 2022 
Number of pages:680

Other books in the series:
1-Royal Decoy
2-Royal Spy

Novellas
Fire and Ash
Shield and Blade (coming July 2022)

Disclosure statement: A complimentary review copy of this book was provided from tour groups, publishers, publicists, authors, and others, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, Or borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR borrowed from Deseret Bookshelf, OR pre-ordered/purchased for review, including Audible.  A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.