A Kiss of Iron

Shadows of the Tenebris Court, Book 1

De: Clare Sager

Narrado por: Sarah Sampino, Liam Price

In the cut-throat game of court life, masters manipulate pawns—and you never know which one you are. One thing is certain: there's no space on the board for love.

A penniless noblewoman, Kat is on the verge of losing everything when she's offered a well-paid job that could be her salvation… or her ruin. Drawn into court's deadly intrigues, she's given a single task: spy on the powerful fae lord known as the Night Queen's Shadow.

Bastian Marwood is handsome, ruthless, and cunning, but Kat can't decide if he's a threat to her kingdom or just her heart. To uncover the truth, she must play a dangerous game of desire and deceit, pushing him to reveal his secrets while protecting her own. But Bastian's shadows have a hold on her—one she isn't sure she wants to escape.

Kat soon learns that at court, nothing is as it seems, and even the best-laid plans can be destroyed in an instant. As a pawn on the board, she can't afford to fall victim to love—only fight for survival.

A Kiss of Iron is the first book in a new series featuring court intrigue, a morally grey hero, and an unforgettable enemies-to-lovers romance. Perfect for fans of Gild and From Blood and Ash.

©2023 Clare Sager (P)2023 Podium Audio

Slow Burn Perfection

Get this book. Give them all your credits for this one! I've become more and more picky as my audiobook collection (aka addiction) has grown past thousands in the last couple years, but this one goes on the special list. The short list of books that tick all my requirements for a 5 star rating: A fantasy romance that's got an actual plot and not just smut for smut's sake, a FMC (or MMC if it's M/M) that's not obnoxiously wishy washy and stays true to herself, a MMC that's not abusive and actually deserves the admiration of the FMC, solid world building- whether it's intricate or more general/relaxed- as long as it's consistent and makes sense, no manufactured drama or excessive inner-monologuing. That's just the short list, but bottom line: It's a solid 5 out of 5 stars for sure!

story and narrator was good

I wish the main character wasn't so weak and pitiful when she started out strong

this might be the best book I’ve read this year

this might be the best book I’ve read this year, jfc! it’s got the plot, the political intrigue, the tension, the spice, the development. I couldn’t get enough! anxiously awaiting book two’s narration.

10/10

I listened to this on a whim because a handful of good reviews and I’m so glad I did. Great story, characters, and character development. I’d give it a 4/5 for spice. Need book 2 to be available on Audible ASAP!

Amazing!!!

The British accents!! I had an absolute blast reading this book. The banter was so good and I already have A Touch of Poison in my wishlist.

Engaging & addicting story!

I just finished book 1 of this series and I'm currently downloading book 2. I'm hooked. My rating is more of a 4.5 not a 4. More on that but I have to start with saying I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this book and the performance. The court intrigue, the realness and unfairness of the lack of woman's rights, the slow burn romance, the character development, the twist at the end; it was all excellent. I wasn't sure on what some of the other reviewers were talking about with the narrator, but I thought she did an excellent job, acting was top notch and drew me into the story from the get go, well done!

Now the reason for the 4.5 rating and not a perfect 5 (it is so close to a 5 for me tbh), and this could have been the fault of the editor(s), I wish they didn't glaze over what had happened to the FMC's sister. I won't divulge anything more because of spoilers. But that is a minor complaint/criticism, hence the 4.5 rating. Obviously since I'm downloading the next installment of this series. It's worth every credit /$ and I highly recommend anyone that is interested in historical fantasy fiction. The author built an incredibly believable world and characters, I assure you that you will not be able to put this book down! Ok, I'm ending this review now so I can hurriedly begin book 2!

Just when you think…

Just when you think you have this book all figured out…BOOM! PLOT TWIST! A deliciously slow burn, filled with mystery and character growth. I’m not sure why some reviews dog on the narrators, I thought they both did a great job. Only wish it was in duet narration.

New book boyfriend alert!

This book was such a wild and I loved every second of it!

I feel so much for Kat and everything she experienced. And I know she is not alone.

Bastian is now a top book boyfriend. I was swooning so much whenever he was on page. He helped give Kat control over her body and her life.

Loved the twists and turns. Jumping into book 2 now.

Super slow paced

It’s well written. I enjoyed it for the most part, but the storyline is so slow to the point I was getting bored, but definitely a good read if you need a break from high anxiety giving storylines. There really isn’t much storyline movement asides from the characters romance until the last 5 hours of reading. The most frustrating part was how they made her into this strong smart female lead, but then stripped that whole personality away while at court. So much more could have been happening on her spying side, while their romantic relationship was building.

The story was great but…

The female narrator was fine but the male was so difficult to listen to. The timbre and tone and cadence were just awful.