A Touch of Gold and Madness

A dark romantasy debut that does not pull its punches. Gray Monroe is a princess-assassin sent to kill Prince Griffin Silas, the man her father blames for starting a war that shattered their world. Griffin is on his own mission to kill the king, complicated by an affliction that drives him toward violence and madness. DeVore builds a post-apocalyptic fantasy world where Kinetics and Elementals wage war while human militias hunt them both. The magic system is inventive—electrical currents, gamma rays, elemental abilities tied to appearance. Heavy content warnings on this one, including on-page sexual violence and extensive trauma. The slow burn is real and the cliffhanger is brutal. First in the Celestials of Arcadia series. For readers who like their romantasy dark with morally gray leads and high stakes.