Marked by the Moon

Bound by the Veil, Book 1

By: Helen Scott

Narrated by: Tim Campbell, Evelyn Rose

Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

All my life, death was right around the corner. I just never expected it to be delivered by the man I was falling in love with…

Magic has been outlawed for almost a century, and anyone caught wielding it or bearing its mark is executed. Which is why I know every day could be my last.

I'm marked for death. My skin bears the branding of the moon. I just thank the stars that it's not somewhere visible.

For one night, I willingly put myself in danger, picking a stranger to lose myself in before I begin my life of servitude to the crown as a member of the King's Guard. But the man I thought was a stranger turns out to be the Blade of the King, Thorn, my new boss.

It doesn't matter that he's temptation incarnate or that the slightest flick of his fingers against my skin brings back echoes of the night we spent in each other's arms. We can never be together again because I can't risk losing this job, and I definitely can't risk him finding out my secret.

Not everything in the Eaorin Kingdom is as it seems, though, and my boss has secrets too. Ones that are just as deadly as my own…

The first book in a new fantasy romance series, Marked by the Moon is filled with steamy enemies-to-lovers romance, mystery, a heroine who will fight for everything she has, and a hero who might just be a villain. For fans of Elisa Kova, Sylvia Mercedes, and LJ Andrews, this thrilling forbidden love romance will keep you entranced until the very last word!

©2023 Helen Scott (P)2023 Podium Audio

I love Helen but this one.. not too sure

It has potential! But overall, it was very dry. When you cut out all the layers it’s really about a girl who is relentlessly bullied for sleeping with her boss. At least, that was the main focus of this story. And it’s not like the “reason” is all that wild either. The other guards are upset because she’s sleeping with their boss…. Ok? Why did that take an entire book to convey to us? Being beaten in the bathroom, and locked in the tower was about 60% of the book. Perhaps the next few will dive into the actual magic part.

The previous review also has a valid point. There is no actual reason why this lady had to join the kings guard. Especially if she is literally marked for death and Is well aware it grows bigger every month??Her magic “sister” works in the castle so she wants to protect her ok sure, but why does she need a body guard to be a librarian again? Because she’s performing magic in the castle? But why is she doing that in the first place if it’s that dangerous? Can magic touched not resist the pull of magic after a certain amount of time? Do they die if they don’t cast a spell or something? Why would a king who apparently doesn’t think woman can fight call a literal woman to his castle to personally defend him? And if it’s well known that these marks mean someone is moon touched, wouldn’t they at least check if a guard has one before assigning them to protect king??? Apparently the most important assignment in the world? Uh?

This needs a bit more development and then I think it would be an amazing story. Give us readers a better understanding of the WHY behind her decisions and you might have gold.

Am I missing something?

Wait so let me get this correct. You were born with forbidden magic that your king has outlawed, and will kill anyone found with a birthmark that you have on your back. Ok… not your fault.

You sleep with the kings guard that puts you in danger of him finding out your secret. Ok that’s fine. Easily hidden no worries.

So you… join the kings guard? With the king who outlawed magic to begin with? The king that will execute you if found out? You know, that super secret magical birthmark you have that nobody can find out about???? And not only that, but you are the ONLY female in this guard team so you literally stand out. What am I missing here? I love fantasy but you have to base it in some ground of reality to make it believable. You can’t have your FMC hide this secret for all her life only to join the kings guard for no other reason other than saving people. I’m just so confused by this and couldn’t get over it.

DNF - 26%

I’m all for forcing storylines to get to a plot but this seems really pushing it.

Other than that the narration was superb.

DNF - painful

Had an interesting premise but the plot never moved. It ended up being mostly about a woman in the kings guard being brutalized by her peers. Story was painful to follow

But excellent job to the narrators.