4.5 stars!

This was refreshing. Many of the things I’ve read lately have felt like the same story repeated, but this felt new.

Astra is my favorite type of FMC, who is strong simply because she cares about other people and doesn’t just sit and do as she’s told. Then add in the best type of slow burn romance, intricate world building, and a unique plot.

It did take me just a second to get into it in the beginning, but I suspect it was because of the last book I read putting me in a slump.

I definitely recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley and Emrae publishing for this eARC!

This book is a solid 4 star for me. The premise, the world, the characters, the plot development, the FMC and the slow burn romance were all brilliantly delivered and executed and I very much look forward to the next book. I found it incredibly refreshing that Astra (and her sister) are both in their 30ties, we don't see enough of that and it feels more relatable, realistic and means that these characters have some actual life experience, so much appreciated! I struggled a bit to get into the story, but once I did, I was fully invested and I feel that the balance of romance and political intrigue was achieved very well. I did however have some issues with the worldbuilding, at points it felt hard to understand and didn't feel presented in a way which was easy to follow. as a seasoned fantasy reader I thought this was such a shame because when after the halfway point of the book I started getting a better understanding and is sort of all comes together, the concept of this world is brilliant (maybe with a re-edit this could be fixed?). Overall, fans of the genre should definitely give this a go, it will not disappoint!

Thank you to NetGalley, Emrae Publishing and CB Woods for the ARC copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, Emrae Publishing, and CB Woods for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

This book is beautifully written with such a beautiful and alluring descriptive world setting! It was almost giving me Sailor Moon setting vibes regarding the space, planets, moon, with colorful descriptions of pastels throughout.

The relationship between the FMC (Astra) and MMC (Lux) was a good slow burn development. The first 70% ish of the book was quite predictable to me with the typical and lovable romantasy tropes but the last 20-30% got me confused with the motive and was suddenly info-dumpy that I couldn't care less about the other characters that suddenly popped up last minute into the story. I enjoy that there is world building and lore in this book but that last 20-30% very informative lore of the book should've been spreaded throughout the story or should've been saved for the next books.

Even though that last bit got me confused, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would like to continue reading the next one!

”Make whatever you desire of me. Make me your sunlight, make me your darkest secret. Make an irreparable mess of me.”

“Perhaps it never dies, then–the love we carry when we’re living. How unfathomably horrifying, to be haunted by life even when you’re haunting in death.”

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️ / 5

The celestial world brought to life in Rift is absolutely gorgeous, rife with political intrigue, rebellion, and royal family drama. The backdrop to this slow burn romance is a richly-woven exploration of class, democracy, grief, and personal growth. Oh, and there’s dragons!

Astra is a stubborn, headstrong FMC with an independent streak a mile wide. She fumbles her way through multiple tense situations, somehow finding her footing despite always seeming to be the last person in the room to know what’s happening (and why).

The central love story is slow but believable, with a comforting banter between them that brought a smile to my face more than once. There are also strong side characters who keep our leads on their toes and help make everything feel real. I also appreciated the LGBTQIA+ representation, though I would’ve loved to see more of it in the fated category.

This is an incredible debut, there’s no question. I’m intrigued by the world and want to dive back in with the next release. That said, I did spend the first 25% or so a bit confused about the world (more became clearer as the story unfolded) and the scene setting. The use of third person, with a largely female cast to start, made things a bit difficult to follow. And, as a devoted romantasy reader and lover of fated mates as a general trope, some of the elements that seemed meant to be twists were predictable (but still executed with sweetness and care).

The spice is on the milder side and overall light, though there are a few spine-tingling moments.

I highly recommend Rift for those who love plot-driven romantasies with deep world-building and complex female-led political machinations.

📚Fast facts📚
✨ Enemies-to-lovers
✨ Slow burn
✨ Forbidden romance
✨ Rich magical world
✨ Courts, demigods, goddesses
✨ Fated mates
✨ Multigenerational family drama
✨ LGBTQIA+ friendly
✨ First in a series (no cliffhanger)
✨ Romantasy MF
✨ Third person, past tense

I am grateful to C.B. Woods, Emrae Publishing, and NetGalley to have received an ARC of this story! This is my honest and unbiased review.

Rift was a very unique romantasy. I very much enjoyed the magic system and world building. Because this was a very complex world, it took a little bit for me to get into the story, but once I did I really enjoyed it.

I especially loved that all the main characters were at least thirty. The tension between Astra and Lux was great, though I did find myself occasionally frustrated with Lux's choices.

This book is written in 3rd person POV but almost entirely from Astra's perspective. It was occasionally a more omniscient narration, but I couldn't tell if that was a stylistic choice or due to Astra's powers.

I'm also not sure how I feel about the conclusion to the main conflict of this book, but that can happen with the first book in a series as there's still a lot to come. I am looking forward to reading the next book to find out more.

Thanks to NetGalley, Emrae Publishing, and CB Woods for the ARC!

I am almost never surprised by the world building in romantasy books. It’s one of the reasons I read them. Life is hectic, so why not sink into a world of sword fighting, dragons, monsters and heroes?
Rift surprised me (in the most amazing way). This world is a complete novelty to me. The characters and their homes are so thoroughly developed I found myself wanting to go visit.
Astra is so likable. She has faults and doubts but they aren’t overblown. She’s a badass but never says she is.
The first time I met Mirq, I thought he was the MMC and I was absolutely ready for it (I was thrilled to find out there is going to be a book in which 𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒔!) but then I met Lux and like… Xaden who?
Also… the last 100 or so pages had major twists that had me cheering aloud (sorry to my sleeping husband) and I cannot wait for book two already.
If you’re a lover of Romantasy, do yourself a favor and pick this book up!

There's so much to praise about Rift!

Astra and Lux's story is set within a tale of long-standing conflicts between courts and rebels within them. As war looms, the two of them are on a journey to discover hidden secrets and protect their people.

The world feels richly built and unique. There's so much to discover that it took me some time to settle in, but it really paid off.

What I loved most of all though was the slow burn romance simmering away at the heart of the story! Featuring forbidden love, enemies to lovers, and fated mates - it hit all the right notes of longing, tension, angst and sweetness and was so much fun to read.

Thank you NetGalley, Emrae Publishing and CB Woods for allowing me to read this ARC.

Rift is a celestial gem! It’s so dreamy! The world building makes reading the book feel like resting on a gentle cloud. For me, this read was a bit slow, but in a pleasant way. I found myself pausing at the vibrant, enchanted scenery. I don’t think it’s necessarily a slow read, but I wanted to spend some time playing in the imagery. Each setting was more romantically lovely than the last. It demanded pause to soak in the beauty. Political intrigue was a main trope in this read, and it was done thoroughly. I was fully invested in the way their courts operate.
The FMC offers a balance to this serene world with her fiery, badass personality. She is full of wit and mischief. And she is a fully grown woman. All main characters are over thirty. I found that unique, and refreshing.
I also highly appreciated the representation in this book!
The banter is humorous and addicting. Lux made me blush multiple times. The tension, yearning, and sharp pang of heartache was delicious.

This is a thrilling mix of romance, fantasy, and political intrigue. Astra, a fiery Lunar demi-goddess, is thrown back into a world of betrayal and power struggles, where she must fight for change. The slow-burn romance with Luxuros adds depth, and the world-building is rich, though a bit dense at times. While the pacing takes a moment to settle, once it does, it’s hard to put down. A fantastic read for romantasy fans—I’m excited to see where the series goes next!

Rift is a thrilling and thought-provoking novel that captivates readers with its rich world-building, complex characters, and intense emotional depth. From the very first page, Woods pulls you into a unique universe where tensions run high, and every decision seems to have far-reaching consequences. It was a captivating read, loved it from cover to cover !

Overall i liked this book, i thought the magic was interesting and the love story kept me hooked. I just found it hard to follow at times, not sure if it was the wording or the way the author jumped straight into it. It was written almost if you should know all about the world already.

I will forever be a romantasy fan, nothing can change my mind. I was super excited to receive an ARC for this book. Fated Mates, courts, high stakes. This sounded perfect for me. While there ended up being parts of this book that I absolutely loved, there were some parts that I found it hard to get into.

For the first I want to say 25% of this book I was mostly stuck in a state of confusion. There was so much information thrown at me that I found it hard to absorb. I had a really hard time wanting to really get into this story at first. There was however parts once the story gets a bit more fluent that I was in love with. I found the world building and politics to be super rough but the relationships and character building were amazing. The banter and tension between all the characters really brought this story to life for me.

I am however excited to see this story continue once the next book comes out. While I feel like I struggled with reading this one I am still really interested in where it will go and how the characters will carry on.
Thank you CB Woods, Emrae Publishing and NetGalley for accepting me to ARC read this book!

this book was sooo good, especially the romance. Astra is royalty but wants nothing more than a life away from the courts and the expectations that comes with her position. she’s always had an explosive personality and it ends up landing her in exile, which she actually enjoys for the freedom it grants her. she has many abilities but her premonitions end up bringing her back to her court where she’s later encouraged to make a deal of marriage with a rebel king named Mirquois. Astra can’t help but be drawn to his commander, Luxuros, making things more difficult as they all try to prevent chaos breaking loose between the courts and the gods above.

when i say i was absolutely obsessed with Astra and Lux, it’s not an understatement. this book is a great example of slow burn and yearning done PERFECTLY. there’s an element of dreams that Astra has where Lux can enter them (sometimes whether he means to or not) and those moments were some of my favorite. i also really liked the side characters too and Astra herself was such a powerhouse, i found her personality so refreshing. i also want to mention the fact that both Astra and Lux are older (30s & 40s), which is something i wish to see more of in my romantasy books. the only reason this isn’t rated higher is cause we’re just thrown into this world and i never got a solid grasp of all the different names and places. the ending had me sort of confused for bits of it but i do think it left off in a good place and i’d gladly read a sequel, no questions asked.

First off, thank you NetGalley, Emrae Publishing and CB Woods for an early copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

The Rift by CB Woods is a brand new fantasy novel, set to be published on February 25, 2025. Astra is an exiled Lunar demi-goddess, who dreams of a world where titled and ranks mean nothing. While exiled, she spent the last few years far away from the court’s and her mother’s suffocating expectations and enjoying it thoroughly. Until she was urgently summoned by her mother, the Lunar Queen, to return home. Upon arrival, she was quickly thrust back into court and forced to return to a place where she never felt welcome. She realizes quickly that her mother has her own ulterior motives for requesting her return, such as, using her as a bargaining chip to strengthen alliances with the human court. But her mother should have known that Astra was to set in her ways to revert back to the court’s standards. She has decided to take control of her own fate and plans to wed the charming and rebellious King of Mercury. A dangerous game begins to unfold and Luxuros, the King of Mercury’s commander, has luckily been assigned to keep her safe and out of harm’s way.

My First Impressions:
The Rift is definitely a fast paced fantasy read that I fell in love with instantly. What drew my attention to the book was the enemies-to-lovers aspect, but also, the unique setting of the novel. This was the first book that I have read that has taken place within the solar system and it was too unique for me to pass up. Not only did the synopsis of the novel draw my attention, I absolutely love the cover - it is breathtakingly beautiful!

Plot & Pacing:
I instantly fell in love with Astra – a women who is not afraid to stand up for her beliefs and what she believes is right or wrong. She is such a strong and amazing women, choosing to spend her time in exile to restore good into her realm rather than swallowing in self-pity. As for Luxuros, he was a determined and honorable man that Astra was lucky enough to be forced to spend time with. He was funny and their banter made me laugh out loud way too often. The plot was so original, and I loved getting immersed in the world building, and experiencing the different planets right alongside Astra. However, I did at time struggle with remembering all of the characters and who exactly was talking in certain situations. The story doesn’t necessarily leave off on a cliff hanger which I am extremely grateful for, but that does not mean I am any less invested in figuring out what CB Woods has in store for us in book two (I can’t wait until 2026!)!!

Characters & Development:
Like I mentioned before, Astra and Luxuros are by far my favorite characters from this novel, and the banter was perfection! Whether it was during training sessions or just being forced to interact, they were always complaining about each other and giving each other a hard time. It was refreshing and extremely entertaining.

As for the other character relationships, they were developed out perfectly too – whether it was Astra’s family members, past intimate partners, and close friends. Everything tied in beautifully and I honestly like I was always Astra’s shadow throughout the whole book. At times, I felt like I was figuring out things at the same time as some of the other characters were, and it was truly enjoyable. Growth was present throughout the entire novel and so perfect.

World-Building & Setting:
Like mentioned before, I have never had the pleasure of reading a book like this one before. The world-building was breathtaking, and I felt like I was able to close my eyes and envision it all. CB Woods did a fantastic job in describing the other planets and the Above & Below worlds. And unlike other books that I have read, the world building was not the entire premises of the first novel. While building upon the world, you are able to truly enjoy the plot while everything unfolds, and it was absolutely fantastic.

My Final Thoughts & Recommendation:
If you are a fan of immense world-building fantasy reads yet heavily plot focused, this would be perfect for you. There is everything you could want in a fantasy read, from fated mates, forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers, only one bed, high stakes, battle for the crown, and many more. I was immediately intrigued by the setting of the book – I loved the fact that it was set in the solar system!!

I would highly recommend this book for readers who are just starting to get into fantasy, or even for the readers who solely only reads fantasy. This book was everything I hoped it would be and more, and I can’t wait to see out what CB Woods has in store for us.

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

"Make whatever you desire of me, As. Make me your sunlight, make me your darkest secret. Make an irreparable mess of me."

A celestial-themed slow burn Fantasy Romance with dragons and high-stakes political intrigue. HELLO?? This book was made for me and SHE WAS STUNNIN'!! 🤌🏻

Rift was so unique and had the most delicious slow burn. The banter and tension between Lux and Astra was perfect. The world-building was easy enough to follow, but also super unique. I was hooked within the first few chapters and the twists and turns had me on the edge of my seat the rest of the book.

“That, Commander, is the kind of love gods tear rifts through time and space for.”

I will definitely be reading whatever CB Woods writes in the future, I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book!

Add to TBR if you Enjoy:
🌠 30 yo FMC, 40ish MMC
✨ Princess x Commander
🌠 DRAGONS
✨ Unique World Building
🌠 Magic
✨ Banterrrr
🌠 Slow Burn

Thank you to CB Woods, NetGalley and Emrae Publishing for the e-ARC. All opinions are my own.

Rift was an absolute delight to read. The intricate world-building and magic systems were engaging and easy to navigate. The slow-burn romance between Astra and Lux blossomed from a foundation of witty banter and deep longing, culminating beautifully. Additionally, the relationships among the female characters were exceptionally crafted. I loved the depth of friendship portrayed among them all. The story's conclusion felt immensely satisfying. I’m ready for the next book!

This new romantasy book should definitley be on your TBR list.

Favorite aspects:
💕 FMC x MMC banter
💕 unique magical abilities
💕 betrayal that has great resolution
💕 satisfying plot twist
💕 FMC that wants to make a difference

Overall Rating:
5 ⭐️
.5-1 🌶️


Thank you to Net Galley for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

"Please, Princess. I've bled for you before, I've no problem doing it again"

I went into this book coming off of a little reading slump, so it took me a little bit to get into it - but omg once I did I couldn't put it down!!

Rift is a celestial romance with a strong female lead, Astra, a Demi-goddess who wants to create a better world. She finds herself caught in a world of fated mates, and her connection with Lux *chef's kiss*. There are so many twists that I really had no idea what was coming next.

I'm not kidding when I say I was sat here with my feet kicking & giggling like a school girl the whole time reading this book lol! I cannot wait for the next one!!

Thank you to NetGalley & CB Woods for the ARC!

I've thought long and hard for two days on how to write a review to do this book justice, and I've finally come to the conclusion that there is no review that I could write that would give this book the credit that it deserves. If I could shout my love of it from the rooftops I would.

I guess I'll preface this by saying I feel like you always take a chance when you read a book by a new Indie author. I've read both good and bad, but this far surpasses even the best that I've read. This book feels like it's written by an established, traditionally published author. Both the writing and the editing is top notch, and I wouldn't be surprised to find Ms. Woods courted by traditional publishing houses after this book is released, it's that good.

Now to the book itself: Rift has all the Romantasy tropes that we know and love but with imaginative new twists that were a breath of fresh air for a reader who almost exclusively reads the fantasy/romantasy genre. Rift takes place mostly in the Lunar Court, one of the Between courts who are celestial in origin. It is described as an enchantingly beautiful place; with a lavender sea and inhabitants whose hair coloring is in a pastel spectrum it evokes peaceful feelings that match the general vibe of the court. The court runs on magic, but the focus is on intuition and feelings, and things like tarot readings. The Lunar Court is also a female driven court, with its monarchy being inherited from Queen to Queen, with the King having more of a consort type position than a leading role in the court's happenings. I really enjoyed seeing the females of the court kick butt and take names, with some supporting male characters rather than the female characters taking a back seat to their male counterparts. The main characters themselves are also older than we typically see in a lot of Romantasy novels - our main characters are in their 30s instead of being late teens or early twenties.

The story moves very organically. Although it does start out a bit slow, it serves well the purpose of introducing us to our main heroine, Astra Leona, and gives us rich descriptions of the Lunar court. The story quickly picks up pace after the first few chapters and the action does not stop. I appreciated that the world building was given to us in pieces that made sense to the story at the time, instead of cramming a large amount of information into our heads within a few short chapters.

For those who may be wondering about the spice level in Rift, I would classify it conservatively at 2.5 chili peppers. This book is a delicious slow burn, without us seeing any sexy action until the second half of the novel, but the romantic tension is so deliciously done and there is so much action going on with our main characters that I didn't even find myself missing more sexy scenes. When we do have sexy scenes, they aren't as graphically written as some, and there are some mentions of closed-door romance between characters so Rift would be perfect for those fantasy readers who aren't as comfortable with graphic sex scenes in novels.

Rift is one of the few books that I've read where I think I can say I enjoyed every single character, from the most minor to our lead heroine and hero. I felt that each character, even those that are more minor, showed character growth. I was definitely left at the end of story wanting more of these characters. I absolutely can't wait for the next installment in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and CB Woods for providing me with an ARC copy of this novel.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It gave a good cast of characters, I loved the FMC Astra and her journey throughout the story was intriguing. Her family dynamic was rich and complex which hooked me into the story. The rift gave a refreshing angle and the magic was used in an interesting way. I loved the fated mates angle to the story and it was nice to see this play out in different ways amongst the characters.
This was a refreshing read.

Thank you Netgalley, Emrae Publishing, and CB Woods for the eARC!

This is the first eARC that I've received from an author that I was unfamiliar with and I am so happy with the outcome. After reading the description of the book, I was immediately hooked and the book did not disappoint.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the world building and the plot of the book, I do wish the magic system was explained a bit better. I think we get a good understanding of Astra's powers, but I would be interested to know more about everyone else's powers and how they are all interconnected.

Now, let's talk about Astra and Lux because man do I love them. The book advertises them as an enemies to lovers, but I do find that to be a bit misleading (this seems to be very common with fantasy books). While these two bicker a lot and definitely don't see eye to eye, they never felt like true enemies. To me, this wasn't a big deal because of how much I enjoyed watching them develop. Their characters and relationship were written well and it kept me interested in their story. With that being said, it is a slow burn and they have such great tension and banter that is very enjoyable.

One last thing I want to note about this book is that there is a lot of focus on the political state of her world, which I LOVED. If you like court scheming and politics in a fantasy book, then I think you would really enjoy Rift. There is a great balance of plot and romance in this book which I really appreciated, because some romantasy books feel like they are straight romance with a side of fantasy.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait for the next one to release! I am very thankful to have received this eARC as it has introduced me to a knew author that I love :)