Is By the Horns spicy?

By the Horns is high spice (4/5)—explicit, detailed intimate scenes are a central part of the story.

Does By the Horns have a happy ending?

Yes, By the Horns has a Happily Ever After (HEA) ending.

What tropes are in By the Horns?

By the Horns features several romance tropes including monster romance, forced proximity, hidden identity, secret power, adventure romance, workplace romance.

What are the content warnings for By the Horns?

Content warnings for By the Horns include: misogyny, violence, murder, death, sexism.

Is By the Horns a standalone or part of a series?

By the Horns is book 2 in the Royal Artifactual Guild series.

Is By the Horns dual POV?

Yes, By the Horns is dual POV—you get both perspectives throughout the story.

What is the mood of By the Horns?

By the Horns has a adventurous, humorous, spicy, playful, romantic feel to it.

Is By the Horns on Kindle Unlimited?

No, By the Horns is not currently available on Kindle Unlimited.

What order should I read the Royal Artifactual Guild series?

By the Horns is book 2 in the Royal Artifactual Guild series.

By the Horns

by Ruby Dixon

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️steamy·Royal Artifactual Guild #2·Ongoing Series

4.0 on MoodReads (1 rating)4.1 on Goodreads (5,108)

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Ending

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Why Read This?

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

Book Details

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Goodreads Rating

4.10 ★ (5.1k)

Primary Genre

Fantasy Romance

Pairing

POV

Dual POV

Romance Pacing

Cliffhanger

reveal ending

Audiobook

Available

Yes

Format

Single Narrator (unspecified)

Tropes

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Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

Mood

adventuroushumorousspicyplayfulromanticthrillingferal

Writing Style

wittyhumorousbanter-heavyconversationalpunchy

Story Pacing

medium

Emotional Weight

moderate

Energy Required

medium

Vibes

comfort read vibes

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

FMC Archetype

MMC Archetype

Relationship Dynamics

Spice Details 🌶️

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🌶️

Spice Level 4

Spice Style

Getting Steamy

Bringing the Heat

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World & Setting

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World Type

high fantasy

Primary Setting

A fantasy world of magical guilds, artifacts, and Taurian settlements

Fantasy Creatures

minotaursnecromancers

Representation

Reading Context

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Emotional Payoff

Best Time of Year

anytime

When & Where to Read

vacation beach trip lazy Sunday

Royal Artifactual Guild

#1 Bull Moon Rising

#2 By the Horns

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Quick Facts

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️steamy

4.10 ★ (5.1k)

reveal ending

Series

Royal Artifactual Guild #2

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By the Horns

At a Glance

Book Details

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

FormatHow fancy is the audio? Standard = one narrator. Full cast = theater kids went off. GraphicAudio = a MoViE iN yOuR mInD.

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.

Mood & Vibe

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

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

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

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

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.

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

Characters

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

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

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.

Spice Details 🌶️

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

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

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

⚠️ Content Warnings

World & Setting

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.

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 CreaturesWhat supernatural beings populate this world? Fae courts, vampire covens, dragon riders, or just regular humans doing their best.

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

Reading Context

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.

Best Time of YearSeasonal mood rings for books. Summer romance reads different than winter gothic.

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

Royal Artifactual Guild

By the Horns

At a Glance

Book Details

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

FormatHow fancy is the audio? Standard = one narrator. Full cast = theater kids went off. GraphicAudio = a MoViE iN yOuR mInD.

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.

Mood & Vibe

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

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

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

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

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.

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

Characters

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

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

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.

Spice Details 🌶️

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

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

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

⚠️ Content Warnings

World & Setting

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.

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 CreaturesWhat supernatural beings populate this world? Fae courts, vampire covens, dragon riders, or just regular humans doing their best.

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

Reading Context

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.

Best Time of YearSeasonal mood rings for books. Summer romance reads different than winter gothic.

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

Royal Artifactual Guild

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