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Cover of Before We Collide

Before We Collide

by Kate Dylan

💕🚪closed door·Until We Shatter #2
4.0 on Goodreads (72)

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Ending

reveal ending

Why Read This?The one-sentence sell. What do you get for showing up to this book, even when it's hard?

A devastatingly tender story about grief, purpose, and choosing to live again — wrapped in a color-magic system and a prophecy that pulls two broken people together.

Synopsis

The thrilling sequel to Until We Shatter , the romantic heist fantasy, perfect for fans of Six of Crows , Master of One and Bone Crier's Dawn . Raya Wryvern was supposed to be a prodigy. As the daughter of two powerful Shades - world-renowned for seeing the future - she was expected to follow in her parents' footsteps and graduate the Academy at the top of her class. Instead, she's failing. And the cost of failure is having her magic bound. Desperate, Raya asks the future a forbidden question. But instead of an answer, it shows her the end of all magic and the death of her kind. And at the heart of the vision, Ezzo, the boy it claims she's destined to love. Except Ezzo's not just a boy, he's an illegal half Shade who's spent the last year drinking away his past, and he's not interested in the future - his or hers. With time running out on a prophecy only she can see, Raya must convince Ezzo to help her decipher the vision - before it's too late to steer (their) fate onto a different path.

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

A curator's note goes here with flavor that could spoil the plot.

trope onetrope twotrope threetrope four

Book Details

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.

4.04 ★ (72)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

320 pages

PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.

2025

Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?

Fantasy Romance

PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.

M/F

POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).

Dual POV

Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.

Slow Burn

CliffhangerEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.

reveal ending

AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

No audiobook yet

TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
enemies to loversforced proximityslow burnfated mates / destinyfound familyprophecy-driven romance
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.

adventurousemotionalmagicalhopeful

Writing StyleHow the author writes - prose style, dialogue approach, and narrative voice. This is about craft and delivery, not emotional effect.

immersive worldbuildingfast-paced proseemotionally rawdual perspective with inner thoughts

Story PacingDoes the story sprint or saunter? Fast = you'll miss sleep. Slow = you'll savor every word. Medium = balanced chaos.

fast

Emotional WeightHow much are you gonna cry? Light = fun feels. Moderate = real stakes. Heavy = bring tissues. Devastating = call your therapist.

heavy

Energy RequiredCan you read this on a Tuesday after work, or do you need a full Saturday and three cups of coffee? Low/Medium/High.

medium

VibesOne perfect sentence that captures the essence. Like: 'Fae politics meets forbidden romance with zero chill.'

page turner

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

FMC ArchetypeWho is she? The female main character's core identity/role. Assassin? Healer? General Badass?

gifted seerprivileged but failingimpulsive decision-makergrowing into responsibility

MMC ArchetypeWho is he? The male main character's core identity/role. Your exact flavor of book boyfriend.

outcast / huntedgrieving survivorreluctant heroemotionally damaged

Relationship DynamicsThe interpersonal dynamic between the main characters. How do they relate to each other? This is about character energy and connection style, not plot situations.

reluctant alliesopposites attractemotional healing togetherdestined connectionbanter-heavy

Spice Details 🌶️

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
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Spice Level 1

Spice StyleNot just how much spice, but what kind. Emotional intimacy? Explicit but vanilla? Plot-driven heat? Know your flavor.

romantic / sweet

Getting SteamyGentle kinks. Fun but nothing too crazy. The appetizer, so to speak.

slow burn tensionbanter-driven chemistry

Bringing the HeatFor those who know exactly what they came for. This is where you find your exact brand of chaos. The good stuff.

None
Browse more books by spice level →
This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (8)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
substance abusechild deathtorturemild goredeath of loved onegriefsuicidal ideationpersecution and discrimination
Browse books by content warning →

World & Setting

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

World TypeWhat kind of world are you stepping into? High fantasy = full secondary world. Urban fantasy = magic in modern cities. Portal = starts here, goes there.

Urban fantasy with alternate dimension (The Grey) and color-based magic

Primary SettingWhere does the story physically take place? Court intrigue = palace. Dark academia = campus. Cozy witch vibes = small town. This is about location, not world rules.

Fantasy academyThe Grey (alternate dimension)

RepresentationIdentity representation in the book. LGBTQ+, race/ethnicity, disability, neurodivergence, body type, age and more.

bisexual protagonistsapphic side romancemixed-race charactersclass divide exploration

Reading Context

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Emotional PayoffWhat you get for showing up. The catharsis, the growth, the 'I'm a different person now' moment. This is why the hard books are worth it.

A gentle story of grief and moving on — two broken people find a reason to keep going in each other

When & Where to ReadContext matters. Some books are Beach Trip energy, others are 3am Bedtime spiral-reads. Trust.

When you want a quick emotional fantasy read that hits hard and heals harder

Until We Shatter

Until We Shatter

#1 Until We Shatter

Before We Collide

#2 Before We Collide

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Quick Facts

Spice LevelThe heat scale. 0=wholesome, 1=kisses, 2=fade-to-black, 3=tasteful spice, 4=explicit, 5=you need a cold shower. Know thyself.💕🚪closed door
PagesHow long the commitment is.320
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2025
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.4.04 ★ (72)
EndingEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.reveal ending

SeriesThe series this book belongs to and where it falls in the reading order.

Until We Shatter #2
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