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Cover of Wing of Illusion

Wing of Illusion

by L. Darby Gibbs

🌶️fade to black·spoiler·Fifth Flight #3

Why Read This?

A slow-burn romantasy with rich dragon lore where both leads hide behind facades - when the illusions drop, the tenderness underneath is genuinely moving. The mission into ogre-controlled lands keeps the tension constant.

Synopsis

She battles behind her beauty. He hides behind a spell. In a land where dragons are bound and loyalties blur, trust may be the only true magic. Jillian Mermia is a sword-skilled warrior with a queen’s guard past—and a face that blinds others to her worth. Kenith Gandomilford-Eichen is a newly minted dragon rider and a powerful thaumaturgist, cloaked in illusion to conceal his strength and identity. When they’re paired for a dangerous mission into ogre-controlled lands, both are wary … of the enemy, and of each other. Their task is uncover how ogres control their dragons, locate clutches to steal, and, if possible, offer those dragons a chance at freedom through honest bonds. Nothing about the mission is simple. A new breed of dragon stalks the skies—larger, deadlier, and bred for war. Their own dragons lack the clutch-bond that makes riding together seamless, leading to missteps and danger. As Jillian and Eichen battle injuries, ambushes, and dwindling supplies, the line between pretense and truth blurs. When Eichen offers Jillian a spell to hide her beauty, she’s furious. Until she learns the truth of the illusion he’s lived behind. Beneath the facades they wear, something deeper stirs—tenderness, understanding, and a longing neither expected. But illusions are fragile, and the truths they hide can fracture trust. Together, they must cross a strait into dragon-held lands, outwit those who pursue them, and convince enslaved dragons that a different future is possible. As tensions rise and secrets unravel, Jillian and Eichen must ask Will the truth between them bring choice—or ruin? Wing of Illusion is a romantasy of slow-burn desire, dangerous magic, and the power of seeing—and being seen—for who we truly are.

At a Glance

4.67 ★ Goodreads
Spice Level🌶️fade to black
Endingspoiler
PairingM/F
Romance Pacingslow burn

Top Tropes

forced proximitydragon romancehidden identity

Mood

adventurousromanticepicintensemagical

Book Details

Goodreads Rating

4.67 ★

Page Count

334 pages

Published

2025

Primary Genre

Romantasy

Pairing

M/F

POV

Dual POV

Romance Pacing

Slow Burn

Cliffhanger

spoiler

Audiobook

Available

No

Tropes

RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

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Mood & Vibe

Mood

sign in to see writing style, pacing & more

Characters

FMC: warrior/fighter sign in to unlock

Spice Details 🌶️

slow burn with late spice sign in to unlock

violencegraphic violencewar

World & Setting

high fantasy sign in to unlock

Reading Context

addictive read sign in to unlock

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