Daindreth's Assassin

By: Elisabeth Wheatley

Narrated by: Elisabeth Wheatley

An assassin falls for the archduke she was sent to kill, but killing him might be the only way to save his soul.

Magic has two immutable rules - every spell requires a sacrifice, and every curse can be broken.

Amira Brindonu is a sorceress turned assassin, bound in a curse that forces her to obey her father, even to the point of high treason. When he orders her to kill the future emperor, she fails, but discovers a secret that could bring the whole of the empire to its knees.

The archduke is stricken by a curse that could sentence him and his people to damnation, but Amira could be the only key to breaking it. In a desperate last-ditch effort, the archduke takes Amira prisoner and makes a pact to protect her from her curse if she will help free him of his own.

As time begins to run out, Amira soon learns that there are enemies that blades can’t touch, and there are fates worse than death. Caught in a web of sorcery, intrigue, and her growing feelings for the archduke, the assassin must decide just how much she is willing to give to save the only man she’s ever loved.

Every curse can be broken, but can two cursed people save each other?

Beauty and the Beast meets The Witcher in this fantasy romance that is sure to delight fans of Sarah J. Maas, Kristin Cashore, and Leigh Bardugo.

©2021 Elisabeth Wheatley (P)2021 Elisabeth Wheatley

A Captivating, Riveting, Delightful Read

For a while, I had trouble figuring out how to start this review. I’m still reeling quite a bit from this story, even though I’ve taken a full 24 hours to process.

Our main character is Amira. She is badass, as Wheatley’s female heroines always are. She is cursed to live as her father’s Kadra’han, made to obey every command he gives her. She is not the only one cursed, though. Her love interest is Daindreth, the archduke, and he is cursed in a much worse way. Something sinister lurks underneath his cool demeanor… Can all curses be broken? At what price?

The plot was seamless and smooth, a rollercoaster of emotions. The characters were easy to love and connect with. The romance was clean but there was quite the steamy tension, my favorite kind to read. There’s magic, underworldlings, family issues, love and loyalty.

I loved all parts of the book, and it will be a definite re-read for me in the coming years (I hardly ever re-read anything). Wheatley is an incredible writer and storyteller. This book deserves all five stars and maybe even more. I am super anxious to get my hands on the next book in the series!

author narrated

For not being a professional narrator the author did an excellent job. I was only taken out of the story 2 or 3 times due to the narration, which is about average for me. If you are very picky about narration then I suggest reading this instead of listening. The story is imersive and enjoyable, an excellent slow burn that had me giddy.

pain and desire all at once

great story telling.. excited for the next one. The descriptions are just enough to keep you wanting more and the characters are well written. Just enough fantacy mixed in with romance and mystery. all in all well written and performed.

Interesting concept and storyline

I enjoyed it immensely, overall. I had a few nits with pronunciation, but that didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the book. I plan on acquiring the next in the series.
I enjoyed how magic works in this world, and the politics. It was easy for me to see and presented in such a fashion that it was "as read" and "this is how it's always been," believably. I found it easy to immerse myself.

Incredible world building

The story flowed so smoothly. Each chapter left you wanting, not needing, to dive into the next.