'I was furious with the man. So, so furious. But I also wanted o lick his neck . It was complicated.'

I loved this book. I basically inhaled it !
This slow burn romance is just delicious. and then it goes and adds in werewolves, fae and dragons.

If you love ACOTAR then this is for you. I now can't wait for the release of the second book.

My first ever Romantasy read. I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I will be honest the first chapter I wasn't one over by. But from the second chapter onwards, the story moves quite fast and we encounter a new universe. The fantasy elements llwere fun, but if I'm being 100% honest, the main draw for me was the two main characters and their interactions and the push pull romance side of things.
There a few minor bits which I thought weren't logical given the reveals in the end but like I said they were minor.
The last few chapters of this novel was like an explosion. So much happened and there's so much to process and basically I can't wait for the next book.

I was one of the last few people to read Onyx, but I want to be one of the first few people to read Peridot.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author and the publishers for my eARC.

A Dawn of Onyx was a really great read for me. It’s one of those books that once you start you just want to keep reading.
The plot was great and had a good steady pace to it.The world building was fantastic and richly descriptive through.
I really enjoyed the authors writing style and felt that it had a really nice flow to it. For a debut novel this book was really good.
The book follows Arwen who has a talent for healing which she tries to keep hidden. When her brother steals money from an enemy kingdom, Arwen ends up making a deal to be their healer. It’s not long before Arwen meets Kane who turns out to be King! I really enjoyed how their relationship develops and how it’s not all perfect but does have sweet moments.
If you enjoy a slow burn romance this one was perfect. I really enjoyed the characters and felt they had a good depth to them.
This book had plenty of good twist and turns and I can’t recommend this one enough.

I’m really looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

Thank you to Netgalley, the Author and the Publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a solid debut from Kate Golden and it hits all the usual romantasy beats; enemies to lovers, forced proximity, a chosen one with a mysterious past. The world building is not overly complicated and quite accessible; I liked the idea of the various kingdoms being named after precious stones as a concept however I would have liked more of the mythology as its not really touched on until much later.

This is a quick read and the pacing was fine; I am not usually a slower burn fan but I liked Arwen and Kane's relationship and how it develops throughout the story. Arwen was refreshingly normal to start with for a fantasy novel and I liked how she had to work on things like learning how to defend herself and was willing to make sacrifices for her family. However, as the story progressed and I struggled to connect with her a little. I didn't really feel that shift in Arwen when she realised she not be on the right team and instances like saying she doesn't trust people, then opening up to Mari instantly just seemed contradictory after being in Onyx for all of five minutes and she seemed to get over years of believing Onyx's bad reputation pretty quickly. I think if the conflict there had been touched on a bit more it would have just given the character a bit more depth.

That being said, I still enjoyed the story as a whole. There were moments of humour which genuinely made me laugh (Cardamom being the most attractive herb) and Arwen's relationship with her "biggest fan" Griffin. The ending swept me away completely and I will be picking up book two after those action packed final few chapters.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus Books, Jo Fletcher Books for providing me this book in exchange for an honest review*

I can't believe this is a debut novel. I was instantly immersed in Arwen's and Kane's story. The world building was so good that I wanted to reread it after mere minutes I finished it. Even though I hate slow burn it was done so beautifully that I actually wanted...more.

Really enjoyed following Kane and Arwens journey.

My first book of this author and I will absolutely pick up another. Can't wait for the next installment.

If you are in your fantasy era like me, you'll love it!

This was a really solid fantasy debut. I was instantly hooked with Arwen and Kanes story. The story had a good slow burn and I really enjoyed how it played out and the ending.... I need book 2 now, I need to know what's going to happen next. If you enjoy a book with fantasty, touch her and die vibes and a good plot development then check this one out.

A lot of my friends have been telling me to read this and it did not disappoint. While a slow start, it picked up about halfway through. I never guessed the plot twists, and that's always a good thing in my book!

"I wanted him. All of him. All the time. Preferably forever."

Rating: 4.5/5

- Fantasy
- Hate to love (to hate 😅)
- He falls first
- Forced proximity
- Slow burn
- "Who did this to you?"
- Single POV

I sometimes struggle with following fantasy storylines. But this wasn't the case with A Dawn of Onyx. Essentially, the Onyx kingdom captures Arwen when her brother steals their money. She makes a deal with the king – she'll work for him as a healer if he spares her brother. He agrees and quickly falls for her. Like next-level: "I did not want to live in a world without you in it."

So, what can you expect in A Dawn of Onyx?
- An easy-to-follow fantasy storyline.
- A+ banter: "I love to listen to you explain medicinal practices," he purred. "And I'd love to listen to you fall off a cliff." 😂
- Delicious tension with a slow burn.
- Great supporting characters. I need more Griffin and Mari time in book two!
- Lots of twists and turns. It starts slow, but then the last 40% or so is action-packed and very fast-paced. By the end, you'll be like... WTF just happened 🤯. Kate set the next book up perfectly, though, and I can't wait to see where she takes their story.

Thank you to Kate and Quercus Books for the early copy!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of A Dawn of Onyx by Kate Golden. I had heard so many amazing things about this series and it did not disappoint! This is a fantasy romance which had me hooked from the first page all the way to the end and I cannot wait for the next book in the series. The slow burn romance was so good and the world was super immersive. There were a couple things that happened towards the end that frustrated me and lowered the rating but overall it was a great experience. Definitely picking up book two!

A Dawn of Onyx by Kate Golden

Tropes: Forced Proximity, Secret Identity, Enemies to Lovers, Kingdoms at war, Who hurt you, Morallygray mmc

Many people have recommended this book to me so when I got the Audiobook Arc I was so excited! I enjoyed this book a lot and honestly it helped me get out of a really tough reading slump I have been in for about two months now. It’s easy to read, it’s exciting, the characters are good and the world is really interesting. There was a lot of world and plot building in this one as I do believe there is a sequel coming now in 2024 so it was lacking a little bit in action but I still enjoyed it a lot. The romance is a great slowburn enemies to lovers and I am here for it. The spice was great but not too much and I really appreciated it. I am absolutely looking forward to reading the next book in this series and I would absolutely recommend this if you love a good high fantasy romance!

Fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses will enjoy this book. It's got all the classic enemies to lovers, magical world and mysterious dark hero elements we all love. I can't wait the next installment!

“A Dawn of Onyx” is an intriguing magical debut novel book by Kate Golden.
Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ (if I could, it would be much more than that)
Plot: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Characters: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Romance: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ (slow burn!)

OH, my GOD! I just added a favourite author to my list! A great debut novel from Kate Golden. The story had so many twists it left me wondering if I had lost a hind while reading 🤣 ! The writing style is amazing, reads quickly and you can’t stop at the end of the chapter. Language is simple without unnecessarily complicated words.

Arwen finds herself covering for her brother’s misstep and her whole life turns upside down within a night! But she has to leave behind her old ways and become strong and independent as soon as possible to survive a new reality and a new kingdom! Strong character but a realistic inner voice that will help her grow but also discover her past and future. I am not a “spoiler” person so I won’t go into details about the plot but you better read this book if you are curious to know how the life of a normal girl can change from one minute to the next, find her real self and love on her way to escape a king and heal her mother!

This book makes you want more, in fact, I just finished it and started searching how to put my hands on the next book of the series! So, Kate and team if you are reading my review I would love to read the next one too! I couldn’t put it down, I had to know what happened next. I loved all the interactions between Arwen and Kane and the romance that was unfolding so slowly but was soooo rewarding when they finally let go.

I would definitely recommend it to all lovers of magical kingdoms, fairies and mortals living in the same world, forbidden dark romance and young adult lovers as well. In my opinion, it is a must-read and I am definitely getting a copy for my library!

My special thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my early copy.

Arwen is a healer and finds herself taken to the Kingdom of Onyx as a prisoner.
As a character I really liked Arwen. She starts off riddled with anxiety and we see her grow in strength as the story unfolds. Kane was also a favourite character but I don’t think we have yet gotten to really know him in any meaningful way.

I feel like alot of information still needs to come to light to really understand the dynamics between the kingdoms but overall I really enjoyed the storyline and look forward to the next instalment.

I loved the added perspective at the end and would love to have more of Kanes POV in the next book 😍

I am interested in this book and I’m a mood reader so it took a while to get into it. I managed to get 25% in before dnf because I didn’t understand what was going on. I would like to read this book in the future tho. From what I have read if this I would give it 3 stars. I enjoyed the writing style and the character descriptions

4 STARS ✨

A Dawn of Onyx was a great read. I had heard such good things about it as an 'enemies to lovers' enthusiast, so, as soon as news of its re-release hit, I was eager to read it.

The world intrigued me, and I adored Arwen as a main character. She embraced her emotions, loyal to her family to the point that she abandoned everything that she knew, exposing her power to ensure her brother's protection. Those such as Arwen's brother and her previous lover clearly did not deserve her strength and sacrifice, but I loved her connections to both Kane and Mari.

Arwen and Kane's relationship was a joy to read. I loved the tension, the anonymity at the beginning, and the good ol' tropes that pull in any fantasy romance reader. However, towards the end, the plot, unfortunately, did turn slightly a bit too predictable, and, with those revelations, I wouldn't exactly class Kane as a 'villain.' He unfortunately falls into more of a typical 'Rhysand villain-but-not-villain' category, for those ACOTAR fans who I am sure will pick this up.

Mari, however, was a complete breath of fresh air. She made me laugh so many times, and I adored her character, alongside her and Arwen's relationship.

I look forward to seeing what the second book brings, even if it was not exactly what I was expecting. And I would still highly recommend it for dark fantasy lovers!

*May contain slight spoilers!*

I love a great romantasy series, and this was no exception! It has many of the tropes that I have come to love and expect in romantasy, but with some of the author’s own twists to make the story just different enough that made me want to keep reading on. I finished this book within a day as the plot was easy to follow and there were not too many characters introduced that confused the storyline. This had a VERY slow burn - I was certainly not expecting what happened in Chapter 27! What a great twist!
King Kane is a very likeable morally grey man, who makes no apologies for his actions, but seems to misunderstood by others.
The story is fast-paced, with good world building and character developement. I wasn’t sure that I liked how quickly Arwen started to trust Mari and share secrets with her, especially the intimate details regarding her enemies to lovers to enemies relationship with Kane. For Arwen’s sake, I hope that this doesn’t come back to haunt her in the future, especially after what happened with Halden and the secrets kept by Kane. I was not ready for the ending either, it left a lot open and much to be explained which I’m hoping is done well in book two. Arwen has an arduous journey ahead of her and I’m excited to see what book two (A Promise of Peridot) holds, and have wished for this on NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley, Quercus Books and Kate Golden for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately this book didn't get off to the best start for me, I found the beginning quite forced and it felt like a rushed device to get the FMC to where the author wanted her to be - in the Kingdom of Onyx, with minimal backstory and world-building.

The writing is very simple and almost read like a children's book, which was surprising for a book that is marketed as 'New Adult', and I found some of the descriptions of the characters to be contradictory - for example I found the scene where Ryder returns home to be very confusing as what Arwen was saying about his disposition didn't seem to match up with what he was saying.

All of this was jarring and made me very aware I was reading a book rather than being lost in it, and I should say that at this early point, if I hadn't received this to review I would have put this book down as not for me.

As it is, I continued reading and unfortunately the contradictory nature of the characters continued on throughout the book, for example with Arwen not knowing whether to trust another character but then going on to tell all of her secrets, and the way that Kane acts didn't match up with the supposed king who rules with an iron fist. I enjoyed the romance but ultimately felt like the characters lacked substance so I wasn't rooting for them as much as I would have liked. The plot was fairly predictable.

Overall I think this was an interesting premise that needed better execution, and I also think that this should have been marketing to a YA audience rather than New Adult. I did like the ending and think that the series has potential - this wouldn't be the first series to start with a book that could use some improvement. I would give this 2.5, rounded up to 3 here.

This book was just so much fun, I loved everything about it from beginning to end!

The tension between Kane and Arwen was amazing, I loved their enemies to lovers to enemies relationship. It was very much a one step forward, two steps back relationship that was executed perfectly. So often, you can get annoyed at that type of relationship, but I never felt any frustration here, instead it made me more excited to keep reading.

I also really enjoyed the slow trickle of information & truth & how their relationship changes with every reveal.

I laughed, gasped, swooned & shouted NOOO all while reading this, not just for Arwen & Kane but also for the side characters who I loved just as much as the MCs!

The end POV from Kane was also a wonderful touch! Oh, and the light spice. I hope there’s more of that coming!

I honestly have not enjoyed a book this much in a while & I cannot wait to continue with this series!

I have wished for A Promise of Peridot via Netgalley, and I really hope I get the opportunity to read it as an ARC because I just want to jump back in & continue reading! If, not, however, I will be ordering this book when it's released!

Thank you to the author, publishers & Netgalley for approving my request to read a Dawn of Onyx!


Goodreads review: Will be posted 09/01/23
Instagram: By the end of 12/01/23

This book was so addictive and hard to put down. All the twists, action, romance and revenge in this book was amazing. The characters were so unique and love that he called her bird 🥰