Descend

The Blaze Legacy, Book 1

By: L.R. Friedman

Narrated by: Jacci Prior, Corvin King

Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

A hidden portal isn’t something most students bargain for when they enroll at Halston University.

When a mysterious black envelope arrives during freshman orientation—one inviting Kyleigh Roberts to the school’s prestigious secret society—she immediately feels an unexplainable pull to pledge.

What Kyleigh doesn’t realize is that getting closer to the answers she’s been searching for will force her further from everything she’s ever known.

She plummets into a dark realm full of magic and twisted creatures that once only lived in her bedtime fairy tales. Grappling with explosive powers that begin to emerge, Kyleigh stumbles into a stranger—a woman with glowing eyes who claims she can help.

Since Aislin discovered her gift, she’s been nothing more than a weapon—one wielded by criminals. The idea of freedom has always been just that, an idea. A luxury for those who don’t possess her talent for delivering a swift and merciful death. But for the first time, she’s given a shot at the freedom she’s craved for years.

The catch? She must use her gifts one final time to carry out a mission fueled by revenge against the man least deserving of her mercy.

When Kyleigh and Aislin’s stories become entangled, the two women from worlds apart must find a way to join forces against a vengeful king or risk remaining pawns in a deadly game played by those in power.

The Blaze Legacy is a NA/Adult Dark Portal Romantasy series containing content best suited for listeners over the age of 18.

©2021 L.R. Friedman (P)2024 L.R. Friedman

Fantastic Duet Narration

I loved everything about this book! The story was fast paced, and kept me interested! Perfect escape from the real world. The duet narration was SO GOOD. Nicci and Corvin's voices are GOLD together. I want more!

Portal Fantasy Romance

When Kyleigh finally gets in to the same college as her missing mother, she is looking forward to feeling closer to her and understanding her better. While trying to focus on class and the cute boy who works in the library, she is drawn in by the campus legends. Excited at first, she quickly realizes there are insidious and unexplainable things happening with the society her mother helped found.
Aislin has been nothing more than her power to all those around her since they emerged. When the queen proposes one last job in exchange for her freedom, and it includes the elimination of the king who is to blame for their current state, there is no way she can refuse. But like always, nothing can ever be easy and she finds herself captured with a strange girl instead.
I absolutely adored this book, my first portal fantasy and first duet narration, both narrators doing a phenomenal job with perfect conversation flow. Having two FMC's threw me off at first, but I'm already invested in their stories, both together and individually. The worldbuiliding was not overwhelming while still painting vivid mental pictures. Plot twists around every corner in the last 30ish percent with masterful foreshadowing. Not too much spice in this one (it is a true SLOW burn) but I know that the author turns up the spice in each subsequent book. Other tropes include found family, enemies to lovers, and a unique magic system, complete with dragons. Immediately downloaded book two.