snow-and-ash-series | areadersreviewblog

#postapocalyptic #romance #darkromance #erotic, #romanticsuspense

Adult/18+ Read

Must read series for dark romance fans!

It is no secret that I am a huge fan of dark romance. I also love post-apocalyptic novels, so when I came across the Snow and Ash series by Heather Knight I was positively salivating. I pre-ordered the first book, The General’s Daughter and read it in one sitting, after which I downloaded book #2, Stolen Melody and feasted on that too. After a difficult week with one thing and another, escaping into the harsh, brutal world the author paints, complete with alpha males, mind blowing sex and suspenseful plots was just the tonic I needed! I will be downloading book #3 in the series, The Other Brother, as soon as it is available.

Each book pairs a swoonworthy anti-hero with a heroine who is broken/damaged. The sex scenes sometimes push the boundaries of consent – remember it’s a dark romance. The author paints an excellent picture of the post-apocalyptic world which remains after the Yellowstone volcano goes off, destroying much of civilisation and the population and leaving the world in a perpetual winter. Only the strong and/or the very fortunate survive. Women are very much a commodity, controlled by various militaristic male led factions, who vie for control and survival, whilst out in the wilderness many have turned to cannibalism…

My Reviews

The General’s Daughter (Snow and Ash #1)

Eighteen year-old Ilsa’s father, General Balenchuk, is one of the few men with balls enough to build a tiny island of civilization after a global catastrophe sends humanity to near extinction. He runs Bluefield Mountain with an iron fist, and he’s even more controlling when it comes to his daughter. Ilsa’s been dead inside for years—that is, until the person who hates her most takes her hostage.

When twenty-two year-old Talon Heinesman kidnaps Ilsa Balenchuk, it’s not just because the leader of a rival territory ordered him to capture the general’s daughter. Four years ago, her selfishness set into motion a series of events that resulted in his mother’s and sister’s murders. He’s buried his rage for four years, and now it’s time to mete out the punishment she deserves.

Their story sets Ilsa and Talon on a steamy, turbulent path full of danger, incendiary passion, and a bond so deep it could kill.

This romantic suspense novel contains dark, mature situations and sensitive subject matter, and contains triggers some readers may find discomforting. It is a work of fiction and is intended for adult readers.

My Review ~ Five deliciously dark stars *****

The General’s Daughter, an extremely hot and sexy read, is a tale of revenge and redemption but also absolution. In it Isla, the daughter of a brutal General, is kidnapped by a man working for a rival leader. Her kidnapper is none other than Talon, a man whose family she unwittingly destroyed. Talon is hungry for revenge and jumped at the chance to get his hands on this selfish and spoiled woman. Yet can he hand her over to his boss before he has exacted his revenge? Indeed, does he want to? Would he rather see her suffer at his hands rather than those of another?

Isla’s captivity is brutal and she despairs of surviving it. As she gets to know Talon their relationship develops and they learn much about their respective roles that led to their shared tragic past and its repercussions. There are a number of hightly charged scenes. It becomes clear that Isla is not the woman Talon believed her to be yet nevertheless she was responsible for the deaths of those he held dear. Over time Talon, a man who both despises and desires her, becomes Isla’s only hope for survival.

Isla and Talon are fantastic characters. Both have tragic backstories and have contributed to each others pain. Can they forgive each other and even themselves before it is too late? Their relationship is both sizzling and conflicted and I loved it! Talon struggles to fight his attraction to his captive, a woman whom he should despise. Whilst his words are often cruel, his actions are not always so and Isla comes to depend on him for her survival.

Isla has had led an awful past, controlled by a father she hates and recognises that she is in a situation where she may not survive. I enjoyed how the author developed her character and how she stepped up to the challenge of facing both Talon and her demons. She is a strong woman but even I doubted how she would withstand the events that came her way as the plot developed. Is her future wth Talon, a man who despises her? Is she better off with her controlling father? Will Talon hand her over to his boss, which would herald her death or has he something else entirely planned for her? Either way she appears to be screwed. The stakes are high and the sex is hot!

A recommended read for dark romance fans!

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Purchase Links

Amazon UK Amazon US

Stolen Melody (Snow and Ash #2)

The rest of the world knew her as Melody, the beautiful young siren who rose to the top of the music scene just before a volcano blew and wiped out most of civilization. For the past three years, nineteen year-old “Imogen” has been living under the protection of a small town pastor, and no one else in this increasingly righteous parish knows her infamous history. The whole The rest of the world knew her as Melody, the beautiful young siren who rose to the top of the music scene just before a volcano blew and wiped out most of civilization. For the past three years, nineteen year-old “Imogen” has been living under the protection of a small town pastor, and no one else in this increasingly righteous parish knows her infamous history. The whole persona of Melody was a corporate fabrication, and Imogen would like to forget that part of her past.

Ex-felon Axel Diehl is scouting ahead for a well-organized gang when he spots his fantasy girl. There’s no mistaking the small scar on her hand, those full lips, or that kick-ass figure. It’s too good to be true, and when the gang takes control of Sadie’s Bend he publicly claims Melody for his own.

Can sweet Imogen become the sexy Melody of Axel’s dreams? Can Axel give his poster girl the love she craves? Or will the violence of this new, post-apocalyptic world tear them apart?

This dark romance novel contains mature situations and sensitive subject matter, and contains triggers some readers may find discomforting. It is a work of fiction and is intended for adult readers.

My Review ~ Fast paced and sizzling! ~ Five stars *****

I loved both the premise and the execution of Stolen Melody. It has a very different plot and feel to The General’s Daughter in that it contains more characters and further explores the landscape and society of the post apocalyptic world in which it is set. It pairs an ex-felon Axel with Imogen, a young woman who, prior to the apocalypse, was a young music star at the top of her career. As Melody she was the proverbial wet dream, with her raunchy stage show and persona, an image that was far from the truth of Imogen the girl. Imogen’s refuge in a restrictive small town religious community comes to an abrupt end when she is claimed by Axel, who recognises her, the girl from his fantasies.

Axel’s character is dark and alpha to the core, taking what he wants and defending it to the hilt. He starts off as a violent, controlling and unlikable character, but we soon find out that he had an appalling childhood, learning that to survive he must be stronger, tougher and meaner than the rest. Melody is a prize that he will not share and he is intent on enjoying her and not afraid of punishing her if she transgresses. Indeed, he is a very bad boy and once again the plot contains some dubious consent and some hot scenes! Obsessed with the image he lusted after he is surprised when the real woman reveals herself. How can the couple possibly find any common ground?

Imogen is at first terrified of Axel, yet she realises that he is her only protection against others who covet her. She also lives in fear of her old identity becoming common knowledge. Surprised and afraid of the emotions that Axel’s rough love stirs up in her, should she escape if given the chance or should she stay? Also how can they survive the violence that is closing in around them as different leaders vie for dominance?

The novel reveals more of the post apocalyptic world, a world of violence, cannibals, and survival of the fittest. It also introduces us to the hero of The Other Brother, book #3, whose story I am very eager to read.

Reviewed by Tina Williams