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The Official Blurb
“When twenty-four-year-old Amira must provide for her family, she finds herself making a
bargain with a clever witch that could possibly alter her life forever. In her pursuit to return
home, she crosses paths with a savior – a powerful faerie – that transports her to an alternate
realm she never knew existed.
In a quest intwined with dark magic and immortality, Amira begins to question everything
she has ever known. She’ll need to remain the fighter she’s always been while piecing together
the truths that are hidden in the shadows of Solaris if she wants to survive.
With each day that passes she finds herself more attached to her new surroundings.
Including the white-winged Fae that unexpectedly entered her life. Will she become a
permanent part of his lavish world or return to a life of poverty in the mortal realm to reunite
with her family? Amira’s decision won’t be easy; deciphering between lust and fate.”
Book Review: A Fate of Onyx & Ivory by O’Junea Brown
Romantasy continues to have a chokehold on the book world and A Fate of Onyx & Ivory by O’Junea Brown leans right into it with fae kingdoms, magic, danger and a healthy dose of “you’re my fated mate, now deal with it.”
This is the first installment in the Obsidian Blade series and while it delivers on vibes and potential, it also comes with one very important warning: prepare yourself emotionally for a cliffhanger.
The Setup
We meet Amira, a young woman doing everything she can to keep her struggling family afloat. She hunts, she trades, she hustles. She is not here to be delicate and, honestly, I love that for her.
Things take a turn when she makes a deal with a witch that quickly goes sideways. Suddenly there are wolves hunting her, magic acting up and a mysterious fae king stepping in at just the right moment.
Enter Raine.
Raine whisks her away to Solaris, his magical kingdom, under the very reasonable explanation the witch is trying to steal Amira’s youth and beauty. Casual.
While there, he drops another little detail:
✨ they are fated mates ✨
No big deal.
The Drama
Solaris is beautiful, magical and … not entirely what it seems.
Raine’s sister, Raya, starts off warm and welcoming but that energy shifts real quick once Amira and Raine start getting closer. Suddenly there are warnings. Side-eyes. Vibes.
And not the good kind.
Raya keeps hinting things in Solaris are not what they seem, which adds a layer of tension that keeps the story moving and makes you question who to trust.
Spice Level: Jalapeño
There is definitely chemistry and some intimate moments but no full-on, penetrative sex.
Think:
🔥 tension
🔥 closeness
🔥 “everything but”
If you like your romantasy with a little heat but not full spice overload, this lands nicely in that middle zone.
What Worked
Amira is the standout here.
She’s:
✔️ strong
✔️ practical
✔️ not overly naive
✔️ not written as a helpless, virginal damsel
She feels grounded in a way that makes the fantasy elements easier to buy into. She questions things. She pushes back. She holds her own.
There are also some solid twists that keep the story interesting and hint at bigger things coming in the series.
😬 Challenges
Let’s talk about the cliffhanger.
Yes, it’s a series. Yes, cliffhangers happen.
But.
I went in thinking this was a two-book situation and discovered it is actually a three-parter … and book three is not out yet.
So now we wait. And I do not enjoy waiting. Y’all know I love closure.
If you are someone who likes to binge a full series, you may want to hold off until the final book is released.
📝 Final Thoughts
A Fate of Onyx & Ivory is a solid romantasy start with strong character work, intriguing twists and plenty of potential.
If the series continues to build on what’s set up here, it could be a really satisfying ride.
Just know going in:
you’re signing up for the long game.
If you want to hear more of my thoughts on the book, you can listen to the podcast episode on your favorite podcast streaming service. Or click here for our in-house podcast player. I share some fun anatomy references as well as my Romantic Reminder. You can also find out if I won the episode Boobie Prize. Want to read the book for yourself? You can get it here:
Have you read A Fate of Onyx & Ivory? Let me know your thoughts on this book in the comments!
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