Sophia LeRoux’s “Ashes of the Fae” took me back to one of my favorite childhood fairy tale creatures, the Hag. I was both repulsed and intrigued by that figure, still am today. This different take on paranormal nightmares is one thing which made this novel stand out for me. The heartbreak of children being abducted, with a writer who does not shy away from death. This makes for an emotional ride as we meet Leila and her daughter, Iris. Iris is taken and Leila descends into a deep depression, overwhelmed by feelings of guilt and inadequacy. Her decline is written so skillfully, that I had to step back at times from the emotion. Enter Maddox, an unusual investigator who seems to have a knack for finding children. As Leila asks for his help finding Iris, a bond grow between the two adults. This is an atypical Beauty and the Beast theme. The beauty who thinks she is anything but beautiful and a man who accepts his beastly nature at the risk of denying his human needs. The characters are vividly drawn and relatable. I fell in love with Maddox almost immediately for his gruff but endearing nature. Leila is a strong female lead, even with her emotional descent, her only thought is how to get her daughter back, and willingly puts herself in danger.
LeRoux’s skill as a writer is evident, a strong descriptive writer. I could see through her words vividly, everything from a child’s bracelet to a decaying, odorous monster.
This paranormal romance is that as well with erotic, well written sensual sex scenes.
An all-around pleasure to read, I highly recommend “Ashes of the Fae” and look forward to the next installment.
Ashes of the Fae is published by Kyanite Publishing and is available here: https://amzn.to/2SNYoKA
Andi Marchal ~ Author 